Action Potentials Made Easy

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2015, Volume 36

Rick Wiedenmann

Abstract

Action potentials are difficult for most students to comprehend. Ion channels open and close in sequence. Sodium and Potassium ions move across membranes in opposite directions. With all of these details to learn, students can easily lose sight of the overall concept of depolarization as electrical impulses travel down axons. This workshop showed how to build and use folk toys known as Jacob's ladders to demonstrate depolarization/repolarization both kinesthetically and visually.

Keywords:  action potential

University of Oregon (2014)