Exercise 3: Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: Activity 1: The Resting Membrane Potential Lab Report

Pre-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1. What is the approximate concentration of K+ inside a typical cell (intracellular concentration)?

You correctly answered: a. 150 mM

2. What is the approximate concentration of K+ outside a cell (extracellular concentration)?

You correctly answered: b. 5 mM

3. What is the approximate concentration of Na+ inside a cell (intracellular concentration)?

You correctly answered: b. 5 mM

4. What is the approximate concentration of Na+ outside a cell (extracellular concentration)?

You correctly answered: a. 150 mM

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Experiment Results
Predict Question:
Predict Question: Predict what will happen to the resting membrane potential if the extracellular K+ concentration is
increased.
Your answer : a. The resting membrane potential will become more negative.

Stop & Think Questions:

What is the polarity of the resting membrane potential (voltage)?
You correctly answered: b. negative

What does it mean that the voltage just inside the membrane is negative?
You correctly answered: b. There are more negative charges than positive charges just inside the membrane.

The membrane of most cells, including neurons, contains passive, open,

K+ leak channels. Given the normal K+ concentrations and the resultant concentration gradient, which direction would K+
be expected to move (diffuse) through these leak channels?
You correctly answered: b. out of the cell

What effect does increasing extracellular K+ have on the net diffusion of K+ out of the cell?
You correctly answered: b. It decreases the net diffusion of K+ .

Which way would Na+ move across the membrane if there were open Na+ channels?
You correctly answered: a. Na+ would diffuse into the cell.

The membrane has open K+ channels, and changing extracellular K+ concentration results in a change in membrane
potential. Changing the extracellular Na+ concentration does not significantly change the membrane potential. What do
your results suggest about the number or state (open or closed) of Na+ channels in the resting membrane of a neuron?
You correctly answered: b. Na+ channels are mostly closed.

Experiment Data:

Extracellular Fluid (ECF) Microelectrode Position Voltage (mV)

Control Cell body extracellular 0
Control Cell body intracellular -70
Control Axon extracellular 0
Control Axon intracellular -70
High K+ Axon intracellular -40
High K+ Axon extracellular 0
High K+ Cell body extracellular 0
High K+ Cell body intracellular -40
Low Na+ Cell body intracellular -72
Low Na+ Cell body extracellular 0
Low Na+ Axon extracellular 0
Low Na+ Axon intracellular -72

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Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 66% by answering 2 out of 3 questions correctly.

1. A negative membrane potential was recorded when the tip of the microelectrode was
You correctly answered: d. both inside the cell body and inside the axon.

2. Which of the following caused a change in membrane potential from -70 to -40 in the cell body?
Your answer: c. an increase in extracellular Na+
Correct answer: a. an increase in extracellular K+

3. Which of the following has the most negative voltage?

You correctly answered: c. between the inside of the axon and the outside of the axon with control K+ ECF

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Review Sheet Results
1. Explain why increasing extracellular K+ reduces the net diffusion of K+ out of the neuron through the K+ leak
channels.
Your answer:
Ya que la gradiente de concentración se verá disminuida al tener mayor cantidad de K fuera.

2. Explain why increasing extracellular K+ causes the membrane potential to change to a less negative value. How well
did the results compare with your prediction?
Your answer:
Si se halla más concentración de K fuera de la célula esto producirá que aumente la difusión en la célula aumentando su
carga positiva.

3. Explain why a change in extracellular Na+ did not significantly alter the membrane potential in the resting neuron?
Your answer:
Esto es producido debido la poca disponibilidad de Na hara que la difusion de K se disminuya, esto no produce un cambio
significativo en el pontecial de membrana.

4. Discuss the relative permeability of the membrane to Na+ and K+ in a resting neuron.
Your answer:
Debido a la alta concentración de K dentro de la celular y baja en el exterior la bomba Na-K funciona sacando potasio estos
canales mayormente están abiertos mientras que los canales de Na se abren para equilibrar la perdida de K.

5. Discuss how a change in Na+ or K+ conductance would affect the resting membrane potential.
Your answer:
Como se pudo apreciar en la expirentacion un cambio en la concentracion de Na y K alteran la membrana en reposo
alterando la difusion o la habertura de canales.

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Exercise 3: Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: Activity 2: Receptor Potential Lab Report

Pre-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1. Assuming that the resting potential of a sensory neuron is -70 mV, which of the following represents a depolarization?
You correctly answered: c. a change to -60 mV

2. Which of the following is a sensory modality (type of sense)?

You correctly answered: e. all of the above

3. Which of the following is a sensory stimulus?

You correctly answered: d. all of the above

4. Which of the following is true of the response of a sensory neuron to the appropriate sensory stimulus?
You correctly answered: c. both a and b

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Experiment Results
Predict Question:
Predict Question 1: The adequate stimulus for a Pacinian corpuscle is pressure or vibration on the skin. Which of the
following modalities will induce the largest amplitude receptor potential in the Pacinian corpuscle
Your answer : a. low-intensity heat

Predict Question 2: The adequate stimuli for olfactory receptors are chemicals, typically odorant molecules. Which of the
following modalities will induce the largest amplitude receptor potential in the olfactory receptor?
Your answer : c. moderate-intensity pressure

Stop & Think Questions:

Why didn't the Pacinian corpuscle respond to high-intensity light?
You correctly answered: b. Light-transducing proteins are not present in the Pacinian corpuscle.

Judging from these results, does light have a smell?

You correctly answered: b. no

Why did the free nerve ending respond to several different modalities?
You correctly answered: c. The sensory end of this nerve is less specialized.

Experiment Data:

Receptor Modality Intensity Resting Peak Value of Amplitude of

Potential (mv) Response (mv) Response (mv)
Pacinian corpuscle --- --- -70 -70 0
Pacinian corpuscle Pressure Low -70 -60 10
Pacinian corpuscle Pressure Moderate -70 -45 25
Pacinian corpuscle Pressure High -70 -30 40
Pacinian corpuscle Chemical Low -70 -70 0
Pacinian corpuscle Chemical Moderate -70 -70 0
Pacinian corpuscle Chemical High -70 -70 0
Pacinian corpuscle Heat Low -70 -70 0
Pacinian corpuscle Heat Moderate -70 -70 0
Pacinian corpuscle Heat High -70 -70 0
Pacinian corpuscle Light Low -70 -70 0
Pacinian corpuscle Light Moderate -70 -70 0
Pacinian corpuscle Light High -70 -70 0
Olfactory receptor --- --- -70 -70 0
Olfactory receptor Pressure Low -70 -70 0
Olfactory receptor Pressure Moderate -70 -70 0
Olfactory receptor Pressure High -70 -70 0
Olfactory receptor Chemical Low -70 -64 6
Olfactory receptor Chemical Moderate -70 -58 12
Olfactory receptor Chemical High -70 -45 25
Olfactory receptor Heat Low -70 -70 0
Olfactory receptor Heat Moderate -70 -70 0
Olfactory receptor Heat High -70 -70 0
Olfactory receptor Light Low -70 -70 0

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 Receptor Modality Intensity Resting Peak Value of Amplitude of
Potential (mv) Response (mv) Response (mv)
Olfactory receptor Light Moderate -70 -70 0
Olfactory receptor Light High -70 -70 0
Free nerve ending --- --- -70 -70 0
Free nerve ending Pressure Low -70 -70 0
Free nerve ending Pressure Moderate -70 -70 0
Free nerve ending Pressure High -70 -65 5
Free nerve ending Chemical Low -70 -70 0
Free nerve ending Chemical Moderate -70 -70 0
Free nerve ending Chemical High -70 -70 0
Free nerve ending Heat Low -70 -60 10
Free nerve ending Heat Moderate -70 -40 30
Free nerve ending Heat High -70 -20 50
Free nerve ending Light Low -70 -70 0
Free nerve ending Light Moderate -70 -70 0
Free nerve ending Light High -70 -70 0

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Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1. A very intense stimulus can sometimes stimulate sensory neurons that have evolved for a different modality. Thus, with
a blow to the eye, one "sees stars." In this example the photoreceptors in the eye are responding to
You correctly answered: c. intense pressure.

2. Olfactory receptor neurons respond to low concentrations of chemical odorants because there are membrane proteins in
the receptor ending of this sensory neuron that
You correctly answered: b. can bind and respond to the specific odorant.

3. The sequence of events starting with a sensory stimulus and ending with a change in membrane potential is called
You correctly answered: c. sensory transduction.

4. Starting at a resting membrane potential of -70 mV, a change to which of the following represents the largest receptor
potential?
You correctly answered: d. a change to -50 mV

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Review Sheet Results
1. Sensory neurons have a resting potential based on the efflux of potassium ions (as demonstrated in Activity 1). What
passive channels are likely found in the membrane of the olfactory receptor, in the membrane of the Pacinian corpuscle,
and in the membrane of the free nerve ending?
Your answer:
Las bombas de Na-K son lo caneles que se encuentran en las menbras de estas celulas.

2. What is meant by the term graded potential?

Your answer:
Son los cambios que generan los estimulos sobre el pontencial de recepcion.

3. Identify which of the stimulus modalities induced the largest amplitude receptor potential in the Pacinian corpuscle. How
well did the results compare with your prediction?
Your answer:
Segun los resultados obtenidos la presion o vibracion de de la piel produce un estumilo correcto en el corpusculo de
pacinian.

4. Identify which of the stimulus modalities induced the largest amplitude receptor potential in the olfactory receptors. How
well did the results compare with your prediction?
Your answer:
Para los receptores olfativos una estimulo correcto es el cambion productos quimicos.

5. The olfactory receptor also contains a membrane protein that recognizes isoamylacetate and, via several other
molecules, transduces the odor stimulus into a receptor potential. Does the Pacinian corpuscle likely have this
isoamylacetate receptor protein? Does the free nerve ending likely have this isoamylacetate receptor protein?
Your answer:
Es probable que el corpúsculo de pacinian o la neurona libre contengan este tipo de proteínas, pero no posee la
especialización para traducir estos estímulos en respuesta.

6. What type of sensory neuron would likely respond to the green light?
Your answer:
El tipo de neurona que responde a la luz verde pueden ser las que están ligadas a la retina, como los conos que responden
a los colores y no a la luz difusa.

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Exercise 3: Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: Activity 3: The Action Potential: Threshold Lab Report

Pre-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1. Axons are
You correctly answered: d. long, thin structures that extend from a neuronal cell body.

2. Which of the following is easier?

You correctly answered: a. extracellular recordings of the action potential

3. An action potential is usually initiated in an axon at or near

You correctly answered: d. all of the above

4. The initiation of an action potential in a sensory neuron in the body normally

You correctly answered: a. follows a sufficiently large depolarizing receptor potential.

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Experiment Results
Predict Question:
Predict Question: How will the action potential at R1 (or R2) change as you continue to increase the stimulus voltage?
Your answer : b. The peak value of the action potential will increase.

Stop & Think Questions:

Why is the action potential recorded by the second recording electrode (R2) delayed relative to the action potential recorded
by the first recording electrode (R1)?
You correctly answered: c. The action potential had to propagate from R1 to R2.

An increase in extracellular K+ would depolarize a neuron. This depolarization would occur if neurons were damaged. From
what you have just learned about generating an action potential, what effect would this have on nearby axons? The nearby
axonal membranes will ___________.
You correctly answered: b. be depolarized to values near or above threshold voltages.

Experiment Data:

Stimulus Voltage (mV) Peak Value at R1 (µV) Peak Value at R2 (µV) Action Potential
10 0 0 No
20 100 100 Yes
30 100 100 Yes
40 100 100 Yes
50 100 100 Yes

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Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 3 out of 3 questions correctly.

1. The threshold voltage in an axon is usually

You correctly answered: a. less negative than the resting membrane potential.

2. If a graded receptor potential made the resting membrane potential of the axon more negative (for example, -70 mV
changes to -75 mV), you would expect
You correctly answered: d. it to be more difficult for this axon to reach the threshold voltage.

3. Failure to reach the threshold voltage in the axon of a sensory neuron could be caused by
You correctly answered: d. all of the above.

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Review Sheet Results
1. Define the term threshold as it applies to an action potential.
Your answer:
El umbral es un minimo requerido para generar la despolarizacion o hiperpolarizacion de la membrana esta conducion
produce un todo o nada en la celula ya que si se alcanza se da el cambio y si no llega no se da.

2. What change in membrane potential (depolarization or hyperpolarization) triggers an action potential?

Your answer:
La despolarizacion o hiperpolarizacion de la neurona produce un cambio elevado pontecial de la membrana estos cambios
de voltaje emiten señales electricas a la siguiente neuro.

3. How did the action potential at R1 (or R2) change as you increased the stimulus voltage above the threshold voltage?
How well did the results compare with your prediction?
Your answer:
Ya que en la neurona se produce un cambio si alcanza el umbral pero esto es una condicion entre un si o un no y esto no
se afectara si se produce un incremento en el estumulo tan solo se afectara si se llega a reducir y el pontencial se reduce
por debajo del umbral.

4. An action potential is an "all-or-nothing" event. Explain what is meant by this phrase

Your answer:
Una vez alcanzado el umbral o superado se producira un potencial de accion esto ocurrira dependiendo de si la intensidad
del estimulo sea mayor de lo requerido ya que este se producira a la misma velocidad, caso contrario no habra pontecial de
accion si el estimulo es menor.

5. What part of a neuron was investigated in this activity?

Your answer:
Se invesigo la menbrana que producira el pontecial de accion cuando se llega o supera el umbral.

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Exercise 3: Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: Activity 4: The Action Potential: Importance of Voltage-Gated Na+
channels Lab Report

Pre-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1. Voltage-gated Na+ channels are membrane channels that open

You correctly answered: b. when the membrane depolarizes.

2. When open, Na+ channels allow

You correctly answered: a. Na+ ions to diffuse into the cell.

3. Which of the following is true of an action potential?

You correctly answered: d. All of these answers are correct.

4. Which of the following can reduce the likelihood of an action potential?

You correctly answered: d. All of these can reduce the likelihood of an action potential.

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Experiment Results
Predict Question:
Predict Question 1: If you apply TTX between recording electrodes R1 and R2, what effect will the TTX have on the action
potentials at R1 and R2?
Your answer : c. TTX will block the response at R2 but have no effect at R1.

Predict Question 2: If you apply lidocaine between recording electrodes R1 and R2, what effect will the lidocaine have on
the action potentials at R1 and R2?
Your answer : c. Lidocaine will block the response at R2 but have no effect at R1.

Stop & Think Questions:

2. Enter the peak value of the response at R1 and R2 in the field below and then click Submit to record your answer in the
lab report.
You answered: 100 µV

With a slower timescale, the appearance of the action potentials generated at R1 and R2 will appear to
You correctly answered: c. be compressed in time but have the same peak value of response.

Why do you think TTX is not used during dental procedures?

You correctly answered: c. TTX irreversibly blocks voltage-gated sodium channels in axonal membranes.

Experiment Data:

Condition Stimulus Electrode Peak Value Peak Value Peak Value Peak Value Peak Value
Voltage (mV) of Response of Response of Response of Response of Response
(µV) 2 sec (µV) 4 sec (µV) 6 sec (µV) 8 sec (µV) 10 sec
Control 30 R1 100 100 100 100 100
Control 30 R2 100 100 100 100 100
TTX 30 R1 100 100 100 100 100
TTX 30 R2 100 100 0 0 0
Lidocaine 30 R1 100 100 100 100 100
Lidocaine 30 R2 100 100 100 0 0

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Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1. In the control, the amplitudes of the action potentials at R1 and R2 are the same. Which of the following explains this?
You correctly answered: d. All of these are reasonable explanations.

2. Blocking the voltage-gated Na+ channels between R1 and R2 with TTX blocks
You correctly answered: d. the propagation of the action potential from R1 to R2.

3. When voltage-gated Na+ channels between R1 and R2 are blocked with TTX, an action potential is still recorded at R1
because
You correctly answered: b. the voltage-gated Na+ channels between the stimulus and R1 are unaffected by the TTX.

4. Puffer fish must be prepared carefully and properly before they can be eaten. Eating puffer fish can cause numbness of
the lips, probably because
You correctly answered: a. action potentials from sensory neurons in the lips are blocked.

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Review Sheet Results
1. What does TTX do to voltage-gated Na+ channels?
Your answer:
El TTX bloquea irreversiblemente los canales de Na.

2. What does lidocaine do to voltage-gated Na+ channels? How does the effect of lidocaine differ from the effect of TTX?
Your answer:
La lidococaina produce un bloqueo de canales de Na pero a diferencia de TTX este bloqueo es revelsible.

3. A nerve is a bundle of axons, and some nerves are less sensitive to lidocaine. If a nerve, rather than an axon, had been
used in the lidocaine experiment, the responses recorded at R1 and R2 would be the sum of all the action potentials (called
a compound action potential). Would the response at R2 after lidocaine application necessarily be zero? Why or why not?
Your answer:
Debido a que algunos axones serian afectados y otros no afectados el potencial de accion del compuesto no sumaria 0.

4. Why are fewer action potentials recorded at recording electrodes R2 when TTX is applied between R1 and R2? How
well did the results compare with your prediction?
Your answer:
La localizacion de R1 que esta antes que R2 producira un diferencia de pontencial.

5. Why are fewer action potentials recorded at recording electrodes R2 when lidocaine is applied between R1 and R2?
How well did the results compare with your prediction?
Your answer:
La lidococaina tiene el mismo efecto que el TTX pero este es reversible.

6. Pain-sensitive neurons (called nociceptors) conduct action potentials from the skin or teeth to sites in the brain involved
in pain perception. Where should a dentist inject the lidocaine to block pain perception?
Your answer:
Al aplicar en la ensias ludocacina evita el pontecial de accion entre la neuronas que se encuentran en ella, esto dara efecto
que no se de el dolor.

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Exercise 3: Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: Activity 5: The Action Potential: Measuring Its Absolute and Relative
Refractory Periods Lab Report

Pre-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1. Which of the following occurs after the peak of the action potential?
You correctly answered: d. All of these occur.

2. What is meant by Na+ channel inactivation?

You correctly answered: b. The Na+ channel no longer allows Na+ ions to pass through it.

3. What happens when voltage-gated K+ channels open?

You correctly answered: d. All of these occur.

4. It is harder to generate a second action potential soon after the first action potential because
You correctly answered: d. All of these make it harder to generate a second action potential.

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Experiment Results
Predict Question:
Predict Question: If you further decrease the interval between the stimuli, will the threshold for the second action potential
change?
Your answer : c. The threshold for the second action potential will be higher (requiring a larger depolarization).

Stop & Think Questions:

Threshold can be defined as the minimum voltage needed to generate an action potential. Is the threshold for the first action
potential the same as, or different from, the threshold for the second action potential with a 60 msec interval?
You correctly answered: a. The threshold for the first action potential is lower than the threshold for the second action
potential.

Experiment Data:

Interval Between Stimuli (msec) Stimulus Voltage (mV) Second Action Potential?
250 20 Yes
125 20 Yes
60 20 No
60 25 No
60 30 Yes
30 30 No
30 35 No
30 40 No
30 45 Yes
15 60 Yes
7.5 60 Yes
3.75 60 No

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Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 5 out of 5 questions correctly.

1. What is the original threshold for this neuron?

You correctly answered: a. A 20 mV depolarization to -50 mV.

2. As the interval between stimuli decreases, the depolarization needed to generate the second action potential
You correctly answered: a. increases.

3. Judging from your results, what time period after the first action potential best describes the relative refractory period
(the time when a second action potential can be generated only if the stimulus intensity is increased)?
You correctly answered: c. 7.5 ms-60 msec

4. At what interval between stimuli did the second action potential fail, regardless of the stimulus intensity?
You correctly answered: d. 3.75 msec

5. What is the absolute refractory period for this neuron?

You correctly answered: d. 3.75 msec

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Review Sheet Results
1. Define inactivation as it applies to a voltage-gated sodium channel.
Your answer:
Un canal de Na regulado por volataje se inactivara cuando ya no habra difusion de Na a traves de el.

2. Define the absolute refractory period.

Your answer:
Se produce cuando no habra pontecial de accion independientemente de la fuerza del estimulo que se le aplique.

3. How did the threshold for the second action potential change as you further decreased the interval between the stimuli?
How well did the results compare with your prediction?
Your answer:
El segundo pontencial de accion sera menor ya que msec disminuyen esto evidencia un relacion ya que se necesitara uno
mayor.

4. Why is it harder to generate a second action potential during the relative refractory period?
Your answer:
Debido que los caneles de Na evitan que se produzca una despolarizacion se necesitara un mayor estimulo en este
periodo de tiempo

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Exercise 3: Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: Activity 6: The Action Potential: Coding for Stimulus Intensity Lab Report

Pre-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1. The time after an action potential when a second action potential cannot be generated no matter how intense the
stimulus is called the
You correctly answered: b. absolute refractory period.

2. The time after an action potential when a second action potential can be generated only if the stimulus intensity is
increased is called the
You correctly answered: c. relative refractory period.

3. The term frequency refers to

You correctly answered: c. the number of action potentials per second.

4. The purpose of this activity is to explore

You correctly answered: b. the relationship between stimulus intensity and the frequency of action potentials.

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Experiment Results
Predict Question:
Predict Question: What effect will the increased stimulus intensity have on the frequency of action potentials?
Your answer : c. The frequency of action potentials will increase.

Stop & Think Questions:

4. At the site of stimulation, the stimulus keeps the membrane of the axon at threshold for a long time, but this depolarization
does not spread to the recording electrode. After one action potential has been generated and the axon has fully recovered
from its absolute and relative refractory periods, the stimulus is still present to generate another action potential

Measure the time (in milliseconds) between action potentials. This interval should be a bit longer than the relative refractory
period (measured in Activity 5).

Click Measure to help determine the time between action potentials. A thin, vertical yellow line appears at the first action
potential. You can move the line in 10 millisecond increments by clicking the + and - buttons beside the time display, which
shows the time at the line. Subtract the time at the first action potential from the time at the second action potential to
determine the interval between them.

Enter the interval between action potentials in the field below and then click Submit to display your answer in the data
table.
You answered: 100 milliseconds

5. The interval between action potentials is sometimes called the interspike interval (ISI). Action potentials are sometimes
referred to as spikes because of their rapid time course.

From the ISI, you can calculate the action potential frequency. The frequency is the reciprocal of the interval and is usually
expressed in hertz (Hz), which is events (action potentials) per second. From the ISI you entered, calculate the frequency of
action potentials with a prolonged (500 msec) threshold stimulus intensity. Frequency = 1/ISI. (Convert the ISI to seconds
before calculating the frequency.)

Enter the frequency in the field below and then click Submit to display your answer in the data table.
You answered: 10 Hz

7. Enter the interval between action potentials (the ISI) in the field below and then click Submit to display your answer in
the data table.

Click Measure to help determine the time between action potentials. A thin, vertical yellow line appears at the far left side of
the oscilloscope screen. You can move the line in 10 millisecond increments by clicking the + and - buttons beside the time
display, which shows the time at the line.
You answered: 60 milliseconds

8. From the ISI you entered, calculate the frequency of action potentials with a prolonged (500 msec) 30 mV stimulus
intensity. Frequency = 1/ISI.

Enter the frequency in the field below and then click Submit to display your answer in the data table.
You answered: 16.67 Hz

11. Enter the interval between action potentials (the ISI) in the field below and then click Submit to display your answer in

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the data table.

Click Measure to help determine the time between action potentials. A thin, vertical yellow line appears at the far left side of
the oscilloscope screen. You can move the line in 10 millisecond increments by clicking the + and - buttons beside the time
display, which shows the time at the line.
You answered: 30 milliseconds

12. From the ISI you entered, calculate the frequency of action potentials with a prolonged (500 msec) 45 mV stimulus
intensity. Frequency = 1/ISI.

Enter the frequency in the field below and then click Submit to display your answer in the data table.
You answered: 33.33 Hz

Experiment Data:

Stimulus Voltage (mV) Stimulus Duration (msec) ISI (msec) Action Potential Frequency (Hz)
20 0.5 --- ---
20 500 100 10
30 500 60 16.67
45 500 30 33.33

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Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1. If the interval between action potentials (the interspike interval) is 0.1 (1/10) seconds, what frequency of action potentials
would be observed?
You correctly answered: c. 10 Hz

2. With a prolonged stimulus that is just above (more depolarized than) threshold, you would expect to get additional action
potentials when the membrane has completed
You correctly answered: b. the absolute and relative refractory periods.

3. Which of the following changes occurs when you increase the stimulus intensity?
You correctly answered: c. The frequency of action potentials increases.

4. The absolute refractory period is about 3.75 msec. What intensity stimulus would produce action potentials with this
interspike interval?
You correctly answered: d. None of these stimuli would produce action potentials at this high frequency.

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Review Sheet Results
1. Why are multiple action potentials generated in response to a long stimulus that is above threshold?
Your answer:
Esto ocurre ya debido a la intensidad del estimulo que genera multiples pontenciales de accion esto evita que la celula se
repolarise.

2. Why does the frequency of action potentials increase when the stimulus intensity increases? How well did the results
compare with your prediction?
Your answer:
Ya se vio en los resultados que la pontencioles de accion aumenta cuando aumenta la intensidad del estimulo.

3. How does threshold change during the relative refractory period?

Your answer:
El umbral tiende a desminuir para que la no se dea la repolarizacion de la celula y se siga transmitiendo por mas tiempo.

4. What is the relationship between the interspike interval and the frequency of action potentials?
Your answer:
Tienen una relacion directamentament proporcional.

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Exercise 3: Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: Activity 7: The Action Potential: Conduction Velocity Lab Report

Pre-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 5 out of 5 questions correctly.

1. An action potential can be propagated along an axon because there are __________ channels in the membrane.
You correctly answered: d. voltage-gated

2. The units of conduction velocity are

You correctly answered: d. meters/second.

3. Which of the following will affect axonal conduction velocity?

You correctly answered: c. both the diameter of the axon and the amount of myelination

4. Which of the following describes an A fiber?

You correctly answered: a. large diameter, heavily myelinated

5. Which of the following describes a C fiber?

You correctly answered: c. small diameter, unmyelinated

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Experiment Results
Predict Question:
Predict Question 1: How will the conduction velocity in the B fiber compare with that in the A Fiber?
Your answer : b. The conduction velocity in the B fiber will be slower because the B fiber has a smaller diameter and less
myelination.

Predict Question 2: How will the conduction velocity in the C fiber compare with that in the B Fiber?
Your answer : b. The conduction velocity in the C fiber will be slower because the C fiber has a smaller diameter and less
myelination.

Stop & Think Questions:

3. Note the difference in time between the action potential recorded at R1 and the action potential recorded at R2. The
distance between these sets of recording electrodes is 10 centimeters (0.01 m).

Convert the time from milliseconds to seconds, enter the time (in seconds) in the field below, and then click Submit to
display your results in the grid.
You answered: 0.002 sec

4. Calculate the conduction velocity in meters/second by dividing the distance between R1 and R2 (0.01 m) by the time it
took for the action potential to travel from R1 to R2.

Enter the conduction velocity in the field below and then click Submit to display your results in the grid.
You answered: 50 m/sec

7. Note the difference in time between the action potential recorded at R1 and the action potential recorded at R2.

Convert the time from milliseconds to seconds, enter the time (in seconds) in the field below, and then click Submit to
display your results in the grid.
You answered: 0.01 sec

8. Calculate the conduction velocity in meters/second by dividing the distance between R1 and R2 (0.1 m) by the time it took
for the action potential to travel from R1 to R2.

Enter the conduction velocity in the field below and then click Submit to display your results in the grid.
You answered: 10 m/sec

11. Note the difference in time between the action potential recorded at R1 and the action potential recorded at R2.

Convert the time from milliseconds to seconds, enter the time (in seconds) in the field below, and then click Submit to
display your results in the grid.
You answered: 0.1 sec

12. Calculate the conduction velocity in meters/second by dividing the distance between R1 and R2 (0.1 m) by the time it
took for the action potential to travel from R1 to R2.

Enter the conduction velocity in the field below and then click Submit to display your results in the grid.
You answered: 1 m/sec

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Experiment Data:

Axon Type Myelination Stimulus Distance From Time Between Time Between Conduction
Voltage (mV) R1 to R2 (m) APs (msec) APs (sec) Velocity (m/sec)
A fiber Heavy 30 0.1 2 0.002 50
B fiber Light 30 0.1 10 0.01 10
C fiber None 30 0.1 100 0.1 1

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Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1. Action potential conduction velocity is fastest in which of the following fibers?

You correctly answered: a. A fibers

2. Action potential conduction velocity is slowest in which of the following fibers?

You correctly answered: c. C fibers

3. Why did the timescale have to be changed to measure the conduction velocity of the C fibers?
You correctly answered: b. The total time shown on the oscilloscope would have been too short to see the action potential at
R2.

4. The axons from touch fibers are A fibers, and the axons from pain fibers are C fibers. When you stub your toe, which
would you expect to perceive first?
You correctly answered: b. your toe touching something

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Review Sheet Results
1. How did the conduction velocity in the B fiber compare with that in the A Fiber? How well did the results compare with
your prediction?
Your answer:
Este diferencia ser producida debido que A posee mas meilinizacion de y mayor diametro respecto a B.

2. How did the conduction velocity in the C fiber compare with that in the B Fiber? How well did the results compare with
your prediction?
Your answer:
La mismo que paso en la anterior pregunta .B posee mas meilizacion y mayor diametro que C.

3. What is the effect of axon diameter on conduction velocity?

Your answer:
A mayor dimetro del axon mas rapida sera rapida.

4. What is the effect of the amount of myelination on conduction velocity?

Your answer:
A mayor meilizacion mayor velocidad,

5. Why did the time between the stimulation and the action potential at R1 differ for each axon?
Your answer:
Debido a la diferencia de diamentro y meilizacion que posen los axones.

6. Why did you need to change the timescale on the oscilloscope for each axon?
Your answer:
Para poder apreciar mejor la diferencia de velocidad de conducicion en cada experimento se reducira cada vez mas.

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