How does action potential differ from a resting potential?

Question

please help!!!

Answer 1

think of potential as voltage and it helps to make sense of both phrases.  Action potential is roughly +40 mV and the resting potential is around -70 mV so the difference between the two in a purely arithmetic sense is 110 mV.

Answer 2

The cell membrane is negative just inside the cell. The cell is said to be polarized.

The membrane stores energy by holding these opposite charges apart. Positive outside and negative inside. The voltage across the membrane is called the membrane potential. This is the membrane's potential to do work. If the cell is not doing work it is called the resting potential. (-70 millivolts). When the cell is stimulated the voltage across its membrane changes and it becomes an excitable cell.

The plasma membrane of the neuron contain many sodium-potassium pumps. These pumps are ATP driven and collect sodium on the outside of the cell and potassium on the inside of the cell. Potassium and sodium may diffuse sparingly through the membrane, but the undisturbed cell can maintain the steep gradients with these pumps.

A change in the resting potential can affect its permeability. This is called a stimulus. If this stimulus causes a decrease from the resting potential of -70 millivolts in the direction of 0, the membrane is said to be depolarized. This creates an Action Potential.

The action potential is an all or none event. A neuron has a threshold potential -50 millivolts, this must be attained before the sodium gates open and allow the sodium to pour into the cell.