A recording electrode is placed into a nerve cell to measure the membrane potential at a particular point.When the physiologist glances at the recording and sees that the membrane at that instant has a potential of +15 mV, she knows that the portion of the membrane being recorded is which of the following
A)in the normal resting state
B)in the reversal phase of an action potential
C)more permeable to Ca²⁺ than normal
D)in the after hyperpolarization phase of an action potential

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The membrane potential of +15 mV indicates that the neuron is in the reversal phase of an action potential, as the normal resting membrane potential is around -70 mV and action potentials typically peak above 0 mV.

A Recording Electrode Is Placed into a Nerve Cell to Measure