Question

*At rest, the inside of a cell is more ______ than the outside?*

a. positive
b. charges are equal
c. negative
d. inside of a cell has no charge

Answer 1

The inside of a cell is more negative than the outside when at rest, creating a resting membrane potential of roughly -70 mV. This is due to ion distribution and the sodium-potassium pump's activity.

Step-by-step explanation:

At rest, the inside of a cell is more negative than the outside. This is referred to as the resting membrane potential, which is typically around -70 millivolts (mV). This negative charge is created by the selective permeability of the cell membrane to ions, primarily through potassium and sodium ions. Potassium ions tend to move out of the cell, leaving behind a net negative charge. Conversely, sodium ions are mainly located outside the cell. The sodium-potassium pump sustains this distribution by actively transporting three sodium ions out of the cell for every two potassium ions it brings in. Consequently, the cell uses a significant amount of ATP to maintain this electrical gradient.