Content Category 4C: Electrochemistry and electrical circuits and their elements

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Charged particles can be set in motion by the action of an applied electrical field and can be used to transmit energy or information over long distances. The energy released during certain chemical reactions can be converted to electrical energy, which can be harnessed to perform other reactions or work.  

Physiologically, a concentration gradient of charged particles is set up across the cell membrane of neurons at considerable energetic expense. This allows for the rapid transmission of signals using electrical impulses — changes in the electrical voltage across the membrane — under the action of some external stimulus.  

The content in this category covers electrical circuit elements, electrical circuits, and electrochemistry. 

Topic Biology, 2e Human Physiology Karp’s Cell and Molecular Biology
Specialized Cell — Nerve Cell (BIO)
  • Myelin sheath, Schwann cells, insulation of axon
  • Nodes of Ranvier: propagation of nerve impulse along axon
  • Ch. 7 The Nervous System and Neuronal Excitability, pp. 193-199
  • Ch. 4 The Structure and Function of the Plasma Membrane, pp. 118-119, 158-167