Question

What role do polarity and action potential play in sending out nervous signals?

Answer 1

@YoungStudier

Answer 2

Are there answer choices?

Answer 3

No. I've searched my lessons (which this is supposedly based on) and came up with the fact that my lessons teach me nothing that the quizzes are about.

Answer 4

Sheesh

Answer 5

It's for my Anatomy course if that helps any.

Answer 6

"Action potentials in neurons are also known as "nerve impulses" or "spikes", and the temporal sequence of action potentials generated by a neuron is called its "spike train". A neuron that emits an action potential is often said to "fire"." ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_potential

Answer 7

I should've mentioned that I've read the entire Wikipedia page already

Answer 8

Oh :P

Answer 9

I understand what they are and how they work, but not how the polarity has to do with sending out nervous signals.

Answer 10

I found the relationship between action potentials and polarity on the Wikipedia page, but it didn't seem to relate to sending out nervous signals.

Answer 11

"Synaptic inputs to a neuron cause the membrane to depolarize or hyperpolarize; that is, they cause the membrane potential to rise or fall. Action potentials are triggered when enough depolarization accumulates to bring the membrane potential up to threshold. When an action potential is triggered, the membrane potential abruptly shoots upward and then equally abruptly shoots back downward, often ending below the resting level, where it remains for some period of time. "

Answer 12

Action potential is generated at the axon hillock region of a neuron. This depoliratiztion causes the downstream( towards synapse) region to depolarization and hence trigger an action potential

Answer 13

And that still does nothing to answer the actual question...

Answer 14

I understand clearly what they have to do with each other, but no one seems to be able to explain how they work with nervous signals.

Answer 15

polarity is the basis of action potential. action potential is generated due to the opening of ion channels which let Na+ flow into the cell. Na+ can flow into cell ( facilitated diffusion) because the nerve cell has polarity of ion concentration between intracellular fluid and intercellular fluid. The out side has a higher potential (more positive) than the inside. When ion channel opens, Na+ naturally diffuses down the electrochemical gradient.

Answer 16

This topic is really complicated, go to Kendel's principle of neuroscience if you need a through exaplanation.