Question

Which of the following characteristics are true for an action potential?

I. A threshold potential must be exceeded for an action potential to occur.
II. A stimulus either produces a full action potential or none at all.
III. During the refractory period it is less likely that stimuli can produce another action potential.

Answer 1

I, II, III

Step-by-step explanation:

A threshold stimulus is a stimulus that is capable to produce a response in excitable tissues such as neurons and muscle fibers. At threshold potential, the outward movement of K+ and inward movement of Na+ become equal to each other. When the potential exceeds the threshold potential, more and more Na+ enter the cell to depolarize it and to allow the opening of Na+ channels. Therefore, to fire an action potential, the threshold must be exceeded.

Conduction of action potential is all or none phenomenon which means that either it occurs or it does not occur. As an impulse is passed by each successive part of an exon, it enters the refractory period during which there is no conduction of nerve impulse. It ensures the one-way conduction of impulse from the cell body to the axon terminal only.