Chapter 39 - Introduction

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To fully appreciate this tutorial, you should be familiar with the concepts of:
• Ions
• Diffusion
• Ion channels
• Plasma membranes
• The sodium-potassium pump

After this tutorial you will be able to describe:
• The events that occur during an action potential
• The roles of Na⁺ and K⁺ in generating an action potential
• The events of the depolarization and repolarization phases of an action potential
• The role of ion channels in generating an action potential
• The voltage changes that occur during the phases of an action potential

What is an action potential and how is it generated?

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An action potential
Depolarization
Repolarization
Hyperpolarization
Resting potential
Summary

Driving a car requires split-second precision from your nervous system. Sensory information has to be relayed from the eyes, hands, and feet to the brain, and the brain must make the appropriate adjustments so that the driver can keep the car on the road and avoid collisions with other drivers. The signals to and from the brain that are critical not only to driving a car but to every other activity are called action potentials. In this tutorial, you will learn what an action potential is and how it is generated.