Final answer:
An action potential is a sudden reversal of the electrical gradient across the plasma membrane of a resting neuron. It is triggered by a chemical signal and travels down the neuron's axon as an electric current.
Step-by-step explanation:
An action potential is a sudden reversal of the electrical gradient across the plasma membrane of a resting neuron. It begins when the neuron receives a chemical signal from another cell or some other type of stimulus. The action potential travels rapidly down the neuron's axon as an electric current.