The time constant describes
A) The time course, when injecting a constant current, of changing from one steady-state
voltage to another
B) The time it takes for the action potential to be regenerated
C) The time it takes for the action potential to propagate a characteristic distance
D) The delay of the action potential at the nodes of Ranvier
E) The decay of the action potential with time between the nodes of Ranvier

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The time constant is a measure of how quickly a membrane potential can change in response to a constant current input. It describes the time it takes for the voltage to change significantly (specifically, to reach about 63% of its final value) when moving from one steady-state voltage to another. This concept is crucial in understanding the electrical properties of neurons and how they integrate signals. Choices B, C, D, and E describe different aspects of neural activity that are not directly related to the definition of the time constant.

The Time Constant Describes