Answer:
The current in amperes when 1200 Na+ ions flow across a cell membrane in 3.1 microseconds is exactly 6.195 x 10^-11 amperes.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the current in amperes, we need to use the formula:
where I is the current in amperes, Q is the charge in coulombs, and t is the time in seconds.
To find the charge of 1200 Na+ ions, we need to multiply the number of ions by the charge on each ion. Since the charge on each Na+ ion is the same as the charge on an electron, but positive, it is equal to +1.602 x 10^-19 coulombs.
The charge of 1200 Na+ ions is therefore:
Q = 1200 x 1.602 x 10^-19 coulombs/ion = 1.9224 x 10^-16 coulombs
The time given is 3.1 microseconds, which is 3.1 x 10^-6 seconds.
Now we can plug in the values into the formula:
I = Q/t = (1.9224 x 10^-16 coulombs) / (3.1 x 10^-6 seconds) = 6.195 x 10^-11 amperes
Therefore, the current in amperes when 1200 Na+ ions flow across a cell membrane in 3.1 microseconds is approximately 6.195 x 10^-11 amperes.