High School

What primarily determines the polarity of the cell membrane when the neuron is at rest?

A. More potassium ions leak out of the cell than sodium ions leak into the cell.
B. The same amount of sodium and potassium ions leaks into the cell.
C. More sodium ions leak out of the cell than potassium ions leak into the cell.
D. The same amount of sodium and potassium ions leaks out of the cell.

Answer :

Final answer:

The polarity of the cell membrane when the neuron is at rest, also known as the resting membrane potential, is primarily determined by the different concentrations and permeabilities of potassium and sodium ions inside and outside the cell.

Explanation:

What primarily determines the polarity of the cell membrane when the neuron is at rest is the different concentrations of ions inside and outside the cell and the selective permeability created by ion channels. This voltage, called the resting membrane potential, is created and maintained by increasing the concentration of cations outside the cell (in the extracellular fluid) relative to inside the cell (in the cytoplasm).

The resting membrane potential is mainly dictated by the number of positively charged potassium ions (K2) inside the cell. The cell membrane is more permeable to potassium ion movement than sodium ion movement; thus, potassium ions (K*), which are at high concentrations inside the cell, move out of the neuron at a faster rate than sodium ions leak in, contributing to the negative charge of the neuron at rest.

Learn more about resting membrane potential here:

https://brainly.com/question/32378764

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