AP PSYCHOLOGY

BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOR

NEUROTRANSMISSION

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
The electrical signal that travels down an axon is called?
A
Axon potential
B
Action potential
C
Axon terminal
D
Action terminal
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -An action potential travels the length of the axon and causes release of neurotransmitter into the synapse. The action potential and consequent transmitter release allow the neuron to communicate with other neurons. Neurotransmitter – A chemical released from a neuron following an action potential.

Detailed explanation-2: -Answer and Explanation: An action potential (nerve impulse) is an electrical signal that travels down the axon of a neuron, resulting in the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse. An action potential occurs when the membrane potential of a specific cell rapidly changes.

Detailed explanation-3: -Action potentials travel down neuronal axons in an ion cascade. Positive ions (mostly sodium ions) flow into the cell body, which triggers transmembrane channels at the start of the axon to open and to let in more positive ions.

Detailed explanation-4: -The electrical signals are action potentials, which transmit the information from one of a neuron to the other; the chemical signals are neurotransmitters, which transmit the information from one neuron to the next.

Detailed explanation-5: -An action potential occurs when a neuron sends information down an axon, away from the cell body. Neuroscientists use other words, such as a “spike” or an “impulse” for the action potential. The action potential is an explosion of electrical activity that is created by a depolarizing current.

There is 1 question to complete.