Respuesta :
When the diffusive and electrostatic forces are balanced, the K+ ions first move out of the cell down their concentration gradient, but begin to be pulled back into the cell due to the inside of the cell becoming more negative. For a single ion, the two forces balance out at the equilibrium potential.
What is equilibrium potential?
- The concentration gradient of an ion across a semipermeable membrane drives the direction of movement of the ion. This ionic concentration gradient, or difference across the membrane surface, is maintained by the use of energy, either primary or secondary active transport, and creates a force for the movement of that ion across the membrane.
- Again, because of the high relative permeability of the membrane to potassium, the resulting membrane potential is almost always close to the potassium equilibrium potential. But in order for this process to occur, a concentration gradient of potassium ions must first be set up. This work is done by the Na+/K+ ATPase pump, which pumps 3 Na+ ions out of the cell and 2K+ into the cell to generate the Na+ and K+ concentration gradient.
- The membrane is semipermeable to that ion. There is an ion channel that allows for the ions to pass through the membrane only when that specific ion channel is open. Thus, when the ion channel opens, the ion moves down its concentration gradient from high to low, in this case for K+ from the inside (intracellular region) to the outside (extracellular region).
- Permeability is the capability of ions to flow across the membrane even if they are moving or not (e.g. is there an ion channel present). However, conductance measures the movement of charge across the membrane.
To learn more about equilibrium potential: https://brainly.com/question/14292747
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