PhysioEx Exercise 3 Activity 6 http://physioex.pearson.es.ezbusc.usc.

gal/exercise-3/ex03act06/

Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: The Action Potential:

Coding for Stimulus Intensity
Pre-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1 The time after an action potential when a second action potential cannot be generated no
matter how intense the stimulus is called the

You correctly answered: absolute refractory period.

2 The time after an action potential when a second action potential can be generated only if
the stimulus intensity is increased is called the

You correctly answered: relative refractory period.

3 The term frequency refers to

You correctly answered: the number of action potentials per second.

4 The purpose of this activity is to explore

You correctly answered: the relationship between stimulus intensity and the frequency of
action potentials.

Experiment Results
Predict Question

1 Predict Question: What effect will the increased stimulus intensity have on the frequency
of action potentials?

Your answer: The frequency of action potentials will increase.

Stop & Think Questions

1 At the site of stimulation, the stimulus keeps the membrane of the axon at threshold for a
long time, but this depolarization does not spread to the recording electrode. After one
action potential has been generated and the axon has fully recovered from its absolute i

1 de 5 22/10/2022, 19:30
PhysioEx Exercise 3 Activity 6 http://physioex.pearson.es.ezbusc.usc.gal/exercise-3/ex03act06/

and relative refractory periods, the stimulus is still present to generate another action
potential.

Measure the time (in milliseconds) between action potentials. This interval should be a bit
longer than the relative refractory period (measured in Activity 5).

Select Measure to help determine the time between action potentials. A thin, vertical
yellow line appears at the first action potential. You can move the line in 10 millisecond
increments by selecting the + and - buttons beside the time display, which shows the time
at the line. Subtract the time at the first action potential from the time at the second
action potential to determine the interval between them.

Enter the interval between action potentials.

You answered: 100 milliseconds.

2 The interval between action potentials is sometimes called the interspike interval (ISI).
Action potentials are sometimes referred to as spikes because of their rapid time course.

From the ISI, you can calculate the action potential frequency. The frequency is the
reciprocal of the interval and is usually expressed in hertz (Hz), which is events (action
potentials) per second. From the ISI you entered, calculate the frequency of action
potentials with a prolonged (500 msec) threshold stimulus intensity. Frequency = 1/ISI.
(Convert the ISI to seconds before calculating the frequency.)

Enter the frequency.

You answered: 10 Hz.

3 Enter the interval between action potentials (the ISI).

You answered: 60 milliseconds.

4 From the ISI you entered, calculate the frequency of action potentials with a prolonged
(500 msec) 30 mV stimulus intensity. Frequency = 1/ISI.

Enter the frequency.

You answered: 16 Hz.

5 Enter the interval between action potentials (the ISI).

You answered: 30 milliseconds.

6 From the ISI you entered, calculate the frequency of action potentials with a prolonged
(500 msec) 45 mV stimulus intensity. Frequency = 1/ISI. i

2 de 5 22/10/2022, 19:30
PhysioEx Exercise 3 Activity 6 http://physioex.pearson.es.ezbusc.usc.gal/exercise-3/ex03act06/

Enter the frequency.

You answered: 33 Hz.

Experiment Data

Stimulus Voltage Stimulus Duration ISI (msec) Action Potential

(mV) (msec) Frequency (Hz)
20 0.5 --- ---
20 500 100 10
30 500 60 16
45 500 30 33

3 de 5 22/10/2022, 19:30
PhysioEx Exercise 3 Activity 6 http://physioex.pearson.es.ezbusc.usc.gal/exercise-3/ex03act06/

Post-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.

1 If the interval between action potentials interval) is 0.1 (1/10) seconds,

what frequency of action potentials would be observed?

You correctly answered: 10 Hz.

2 With a prolonged stimulus that is just above (more depolarized than) threshold, you
would expect to get additional action potentials when the membrane has completed

You correctly answered: the absolute and relative refractory periods.

3 Which of the following changes occurs when you increase the stimulus intensity?

You correctly answered: The frequency of action potentials increases.

4 The absolute refractory period is about 3.75 msec. What intensity stimulus would produce
action potentials with this interspike interval?

You correctly answered: None of these stimuli would produce action potentials at this
high frequency.

Review Sheet Results

1 Why are multiple action potentials generated in response to a long stimulus that is above
threshold?

Your answer:

A long stimulus that is above threshold activates the action potential after the relative
refractory period.

2 Why does the frequency of action potentials increase when the stimulus intensity
increases? How well did the results compare with your prediction?

Your answer:

The frequency of action potentials increases because the increasing stimulus intensity can
trigger more action potentials within the relative refractory period.
i

4 de 5 22/10/2022, 19:30