Potential Difference Across Axon Membrane The axoplasm of an axon has a resistan

Question

Potential Difference Across Axon Membrane

The axoplasm of an axon has a resistance Rax. The axon's membrane has both a resistance (Rmem) and a capacitance (Cmem). A single segment of an axon can be modeled by a circuit with Rmem and Cmem in parallel with each other and in series with an open switch, a battery, and Rax?. Imagine the voltage of the battery is ?V?.

Part A

We can model the firing of an action potential by the closing of the switch, which completes the circuit. Immediately after the switch closes, what is the potential difference across the membrane of this single segment?
Answer in V.

Explanation / Answer

the membrane's resistance is Rmem

and same way membrane's capacitance is Cmem

using Ohm's Law

V = i Rmem

now the potential across Rax

then dV = i Rax

i = dV /Rax

V = i Rmem

V = (dV /Rax ) X Rmem

V = dV X Rmem / Rax

so can say that

since we have Q = C V

V = Q / Cmem  

V = Q / Cmem   in volts

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