Question 1: If a stimulus is very small, it may only trigger a small graded potential in the sensory neuron. Can you think of a time when a stimulus was so small you didn't even detect it? Why does a small graded potential result in no signal being sent? What would need to happen for you to detect the stimulus?
Question 2: Where is each of the following types of gated channels located, and what function does each of these channels serve?
- ligand gated
- voltage gated
- mechanically gated
Neurotransmitters cause postsynaptic ion channels to open. Explain how this can lead to either a depolarizing graded potential or a hyperpolarizing graded potential.