Final answer:
Electrical synapses differ from chemical synapses as they can transmit signals faster through direct physical connections using gap junctions, can be bidirectional, and do not utilize neurotransmitters for signal transmission.
Step-by-step explanation:
Electrical synapses involve signal transmission through gap junctions. These synapses differ from chemical synapses in several key aspects. Unlike chemical synapses, where neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic neuron to affect the postsynaptic neuron, in an electrical synapse, there is a direct physical connection between the neurons through gap junctions.
This allows ions to pass directly from one neuron to the next, enabling the signal to be conducted almost instantaneously.
Answering the question, electrical synapses differ from chemical synapses because they: a) can be either excitatory or inhibitory, not just excitatory; b) can be bidirectional; c) are faster than chemical synapses due to the direct passage of current; d) do not pass neurotransmitters but allow ions and certain small molecules to pass directly between cells.
Therefore, the correct responses would be:
- Electrical synapses are not always excitatory.
- Electrical synapses can be bidirectional.
- Electrical synapses are faster than chemical synapses.
- Neurotransmitters do not pass directly from cell to cell in electrical synapses; ions and certain small molecules do instead.