A karate instructor uses his hand to chop a plank of hard wood, and then uses his closed fist to punch a
soft practice bag. Which statement is true of the graded potentials of each action?
A. Neither action contains a great enough stimulus to cause depolarization.
B. The depolarization of both actions will be exactly the same.
C. Chopping the wood will cause greater depolarization than punching the bag.
D. Punching the bag will cause greater depolarization than chopping the wood.
D?
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To determine the correct answer, we need to understand the concept of graded potentials in relation to stimulus strength and depolarization.
Graded potentials are temporary changes in the membrane potential of a neuron in response to a stimulus. They can either be depolarizing (increasing the likelihood of an action potential) or hyperpolarizing (decreasing the likelihood of an action potential).
In the given scenario, the karate instructor chops a plank of hard wood using his hand and punches a soft practice bag with his closed fist.
When chopping the wood, the impact against the hard surface creates a strong stimulus. This stimulus is likely to cause a significant depolarization, as the force of the chop generates a high-intensity sensory signal. Therefore, the action of chopping the wood is expected to cause greater depolarization.
On the other hand, when punching the soft practice bag, the impact is cushioned, resulting in a comparatively weaker stimulus. This weaker stimulus is likely to cause a relatively lower degree of depolarization compared to chopping the wood.
Based on this analysis, the correct answer is C. Chopping the wood will cause greater depolarization than punching the bag. Therefore, option D is incorrect.
Remember, understanding the concept of graded potentials in relation to stimulus strength and depolarization is key to answering this question.