Unit nine
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Unit 9 Worksheet – Membrane Potentials
Each answer is worth 1 point (20 points total)
To complete this worksheet, select:
Chapter 12: Nervous Tissue Animations
Introduction to Membrane Potentials
1. Describe the neuron function. Neurons act to facilitate the transfer of data amongst the body’s cells sustaining homeostasis
2. Contrast graded potentials and action potentials. Graded potentials are electrical signals that have variable amplitude, are localized, and travel short distances along the membrane. In contrast, an action potential has a fixed amplitude, and can travel greater distances along the membrane.
3. a. Describe how there can be an electrical change on either side of a membrane thereby generating a membrane potential. The membrane potential is due to the presence of an ionic concentration difference and electrical gradient between both sides of the membrane.movement of charged molecules across the cellular membrane leads to the creation of electrical signals.
b. What two characteristics must a membrane possess in order to generate and maintain electrical signals critical to nervous tissue? The two traits required for electrical signal generation and maintenance is the presence of a resting membrane potentials and ionic pumps that maintain ionic concentration and electrical gradients between the two sides of the membrane.
Membrane Transport Proteins
4. What three membrane proteins are required if a membrane is to carry electrical impulses?
These proteins are pores, gated channels, and ion pumps.
5. Describe the activity of sodium and potassium ion channels. Pores are ion-specific and provide free access to their respective ions across the plasma membrane. Ions move through these pathways via diffusion – down their concentration gradient.
6. How do the following differentially affect gated channels?
Chemicals (ligands)
Voltage changes
Mechanical deformation
Unit 9 Worksheet – Membrane Potentials
Each answer is worth 1 point (20 points total)
To complete this worksheet, select:
Chapter 12: Nervous Tissue Animations
Introduction to Membrane Potentials
1. Describe the neuron function. Neurons act to facilitate the transfer of data amongst the body’s cells sustaining homeostasis
2. Contrast graded potentials and action potentials. Graded potentials are electrical signals that have variable amplitude, are localized, and travel short distances along the membrane. In contrast, an action potential has a fixed amplitude, and can travel greater distances along the membrane.
3. a. Describe how there can be an electrical change on either side of a membrane thereby generating a membrane potential. The membrane potential is due to the presence of an ionic concentration difference and electrical gradient between both sides of the membrane.movement of charged molecules across the cellular membrane leads to the creation of electrical signals.
b. What two characteristics must a membrane possess in order to generate and maintain electrical signals critical to nervous tissue? The two traits required for electrical signal generation and maintenance is the presence of a resting membrane potentials and ionic pumps that maintain ionic concentration and electrical gradients between the two sides of the membrane.
Membrane Transport Proteins
4. What three membrane proteins are required if a membrane is to carry electrical impulses?
These proteins are pores, gated channels, and ion pumps.
5. Describe the activity of sodium and potassium ion channels. Pores are ion-specific and provide free access to their respective ions across the plasma membrane. Ions move through these pathways via diffusion – down their concentration gradient.
6. How do the following differentially affect gated channels?
Chemicals (ligands)
Voltage changes
Mechanical deformation