Chapter 33, Problem 6A

Summary Introduction

To write:

The reason why nerve impulse takes more energy to travel an axon that lacks myelin as opposed to an axon that has myelin.

Introduction:

Neurons are specialized cells that help to collect external information, analyze the information, and respond to it. Neurons make up a large signaling network, called the nervous system, in the body. A neuron mainly consists of three regions: an axon, the dendrites and a cell body. There are three groups of neurons: sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons.

Explanation of Solution

A nerve impulse is an electrical charge which travels a neuron's length. An impulse is the result of a stimulus like a touch or maybe a loud bang that makes us jump. There are neurons in the human body that have myelin, and there are neurons that have no myelin. Myelin neurons bring impulses associated with sharp pain; myelin-deficient neurons carry impulses associated with dull, throbbing pain. These neurons' action potentials move much more slowly than they do in myelin neurons.

Conclusion

Thus, it concludes that in the neuron that lacks myelin, the action potential moves more slowly than the neurons that have myelin.