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Resting membrane potentials are important to neuron function because they:conserve energyprovide potential for future electrical communicationincrease the potassium levels outside the cellresult in high concentrations of sodium inside the cell

Question

Resting membrane potentials are important to neuron function because they:conserve energyprovide potential for future electrical communicationincrease the potassium levels outside the cellresult in high concentrations of sodium inside the cell

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Solution

Resting membrane potentials are important to neuron function primarily because they provide potential for future electrical communication.

Here's a step-by-step explanation:

  1. Resting Membrane Potential: This is the electrical potential of a neuron or other excitable cell relative to its surroundings when not stimulated or involved in passage of an impulse. It's typically -70 millivolts (mV).

  2. Energy Conservation: While it's true that the resting membrane potential does involve some energy to maintain, its primary function is not energy conservation. The sodium-potassium pump (which helps establish the resting potential) does use ATP (energy), but this is more about maintaining the potential than conserving energy.

  3. Potential for Future Electrical Communication: This is the key function of the resting membrane potential. It sets the stage for the neuron to be able to send electrical signals (action potentials). When a stimulus is strong enough to cause the cell membrane voltage

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Similar Questions

Resting membrane potential:Is the process by which cells communicateResults in the outside of the cell having a -70mV polarity relative to the inside.Is maintained by the sodium/potassium ATPase pump continuously pumping Na+ into the cellResults in high concentrations of Na+ on the outside of the cell

The maintenance of a resting membrane potential is due to three factors:(1) The concentration of K+ the membrane is than that the membrane.(2) The concentration of Na+ the membrane is than that the membrane.(3) The membrane is permeable to K+ than Na+.

At resting membrane potential, voltage-gated potassium ion channels are open.

Although the membrane of a "resting" neuron is highly permeable to potassium ions, its membrane potential does not exactly match the equilibrium potential for potassium because the neuronal membrane is alsofully permeable to sodium ions.slightly permeable to sodium ions.highly permeable to chloride ions.fully permeable to calcium ions.impermeable to sodium ions.SubmitRequest Answer

Which is true of a neuron at resting potential?

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