Pex 03 09
Pex 03 09
Pex 03 09
Exercise 3: Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: Activity 9: The Action Potential: Putting It All Together Lab Report
Pre-lab Quiz Results
You scored 75% by answering 3 out of 4 questions correctly.
1. Sensory neurons respond to an appropriate sensory stimulus with a change in membrane potential that is
Your answer : a. all or nothing.
Correct answer: b. graded with the stimulus intensity.
2. If the depolarization that reaches the axon is large and suprathreshold, the result in the axon is
You correctly answered: c. action potentials at higher frequency.
3. At the axon terminal, each action potential causes the release of neurotransmitter. This neurotransmitter diffuses to the
receiving end of an interneuron, where it binds to receptors and causes
You correctly answered: a. ion channels to open, so that the receiving end of the interneuron depolarizes.
4. Interneurons respond to chemical (neurotransmitter) stimulation with a change in membrane potential that is
You correctly answered: b. graded with the stimulus intensity.
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Experiment Results
Predict Question:
Predict Question 1: If you apply a very weak, subthreshold stimulus to the sensory receptor
Your answer : a. a small, depolarizing response will occur at R1, and no responses will occur at R2, R3, and R4.
Predict Question 2: If you apply a moderate stimulus to the sensory receptor
Your answer : a. a larger, depolarizing response will occur at R1, and an action potential will be generated at R2 and maybe
at R4.
Predict Question 3: If you apply a strong stimulus to the sensory receptor
Your answer : a. a large, depolarizing response will occur at R1 and R3, and action potentials will occur at R2 and R4.
Stop & Think Questions:
Observe the two neurons in the petri dish. What do you think is the resting membrane potential at the receiving end of the
sensory neuron (sensory receptor) and the receiving end of the interneuron?
You correctly answered: c. -70 mV
Why is there no response at R3 when you apply a very weak stimulus to the sensory receptor?
You correctly answered: c. The very weak stimulus does not depolarize the axon of the sensory neuron to threshold.
Why is there a larger, depolarizing response at R1 when you apply a moderate intensity stimulus?
You correctly answered: c. The stimulus induces a graded receptor potential at R1.
Experiment Data:
Stimulus
None
Weak
Moderate
Strong
Sensory Neuron
Membrane Potential
(mV) Receptor
-70
-60
-40
-25
Sensory Neuron
AP Frequency
(Hz) in Axon
Sensory Neuron
Vesicles Released
from Axon Terminal
0
16.6
33.3
0
4
6
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Interneuron
Membrane Potential
(mV) Receiving End
-70
-70
-50
-40
Interneuron
AP Frequency (Hz)
in Axon
0
5
10
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