Suppose you are doing research on neuronal communication,and you are measuring the change in voltage as the neurons send signals.As you get started,you think your voltmeter is broken because it is not showing a charge of 0 millivolts when the neurons are inactive.What value should the voltmeter display when the cells are not firing?
A)-70 millivolts
B)-1 millivolts
C)0 millivolts
D)70 millivolts

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When neurons are at rest or not firing, they maintain a resting potential of approximately -70 millivolts. This means that the inside of the neuron is negatively charged compared to the outside. Therefore, the voltmeter should display a reading of -70 millivolts when the neurons are not firing, which can be initially confusing since the voltmeter may show a charge other than 0 millivolts.

Suppose You Are Doing Research on Neuronal Communication,and You Are