1. What do we call electrical messages that are sent down the axon of a neuron?

The electrical messages that are sent down the axon of a neuron are called action potentials.

2. In one sentence, describe how the electricity in an action potential is generated.

The electricity in an action potential is generated by a sudden change and reversal of charge
because an action potential is simply an electrical current that travels down an axon of a neuron; not
to forget, an action potential can only occur when opposite charges exist on two sides of a cell
membrane.

3. Draw a diagram of the cell membrane of the axon. Label the following on your drawing:
cell interior, cell exterior, Na+ channels, K+ channels, Na+/K+ pump.

You should hand me in your diagrams for full credit

4. The main component of cell membranes are fats called phospholipids. Use the Internet
to research the structure of a phospholipid. Label a phospholipid on your diagram.

You should hand me in your diagrams for full credit

5. What do these terms hydrophilic and hydrophobic mean and how do they relate to the
structure of a cell membrane?
Hydrophilic means having a tendency to mix with, dissolve in, or be wetted by water. Hydrophobic
means tending to repel or fail to mix with water. They relate to the structure of a cell membrane
because phospholipids have a hydrophilic head with two hydrophobic tails. Cell membranes are built
up of these phospholipid molecules in a bilayer. This is because in water the hydrophilic heads will
face the water while the hydrophobic tails will be in the center because they face away from the
water (as through the help of the definition this is determined). The phospholipid bilayer makes the
membrane very stable but also allows flexibility. The phospholipids in the membrane are in a fluid
state which allows the cell to change its shape easily. The cell membranes face water containing
solutions on both sides of the membrane, so a bilayer is formed with the hydrophobic tails facing
each other inwards. The top outer layer consists of hydrophilic heads that are polar and soluble in
water (they are the parts that contain the phosphor atom). Then there is a hydrophobic layer made of
fatty acid tails. So, no water soluble molecules can pass through the developed bilayer but lipid
soluble molecules. Lastly, there is another layer of hydrophobic heads. This cell membrane structure
means the membranes can be soluble in water but water soluble molecules and water cannot pass
through it. The main reason for this is to control the flow of products in and out of the cell.

6. Return to your cell membrane diagram. Use a blue marker or colored pencil to color the
parts of a phospholipid that are hydrophilic. Use a red marker or colored pencil to color
in the parts of the molecules that are hydrophobic.

You should hand me in your diagrams for full credit

7. Add Na+ and K+ ions to your cell membrane drawing to show the placement of ions when
the cell is at rest. Think about which side will have more K+ and which side will have
more Na+.
The cell interior will have more K+ while at rest, and the cell exterior will have more Na+ while at
rest.

8. How does the location of these ions relate to the overall membrane potential (charge) at
this point? Place (-) signs on the side that is now negative and (+) signs on the side that
is now positive.
The exterior will be positive and the interior will be negative. The location of these ions relates to the
overall membrane potential charge at this point because more ions are delivered to the cell exterior
than interior, hence making the cell exterior positive and that causes the cell interior to be negative.

9. The Na+/K+ pump pumps 3 Na+ ions out of the cell for every 2 K+ ions it brings into the
cell. Is this specialized protein working via active or passive transport? Explain your
reasoning.
This specialized protein is working via active transport. It working via active transport
because the protein utilized the help from ATP to open the channel to the side with high
concentration of Na+ and then again takes some energy from the ATP to release the
Na+, but collect K+ to transport to the other side to remain at rest. So, this is active
transport because the pump must use an ATP to change the shape of the protein so the
Na+ can get in. Overall, the ATP is needed because that is the only way the sodium and
potassium have to become balanced out and needed to successfully transport the
proteins.

10. What causes the inside of the membrane to reverse charge and begin the action
potential?
The movement of Na + into the cell, and the movement of K+ out of the cell causes the
inside of the membrane to reverse charge and begin the action potential.

11. Draw a graph of the action potential broken down into four steps as in the Internet
activity. Make sure to label the axes and add units. Highlight or shade each step in a
different color.

You should hand me in your diagrams for full credit

12. Beneath the graph, use the color marker or pen that corresponds to the step to describe
in words what happens in the membrane during this step. Make sure to relate what is
happening in the membrane to the value for membrane potential shown on the graph.
Add a title to each step.

13. Which membrane protein is responsible for restoring the original concentration of Na+
and K+?
The Na+/K+ pump membrane protein is responsible for restoring the original concentration of
Na+ and K+.
14. What happens when the action potential reaches the end of the axon at the axon
terminals? How does one neuron communicate with another neuron and complete the
circuit?

When the action potential reaches the end of the axon at the axon terminals it releases
neurotransmitters that connect to the dendrites of the next neuron and this process continues until it
reaches the nerves close to the point where the reaction should happen. So overall, once it reaches
the end of the axon, it is passed onto another neuron. The neurons will continue to do the actions of
sending and receiving signals until the message approaches its rightful destination. To be summed
up, at the synapses the neurotransmitters are released and sent to the next neuron.