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Psychology / Unit 2   Psych 0155 short lesson, about 20 seconds

The Action Potential

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The idea

The action potential is the rapid electrical spike that travels down the axon once the threshold of excitation is crossed.

In practice

Sodium floods into the axon, the charge spikes positive, and the spike sweeps toward the terminal buttons.

Where people slip

The action potential does not travel like electricity in a wire. It is regenerated at each point along the axon.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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