Biology Nervous Coordination ETEA 2023 Retake
PMDC Verified Question 46 of 86
The neuron is said to be polarized when the:
A
Inside of the plasma membrane has a positive energy compared to the outside
B
Inside of the plasma membrane has same energy compared to the outside
C
Inside of the plasma membrane has a negative energy compared to the outside
D
Positive charge moves inside the neuron
Tap any option to test your recall and reveal the step-by-step Propolis autopsy.

Propolis Cognitive Error Autopsy

Official Correct Choice:
Option C: Inside of the plasma membrane has a negative energy compared to the outside
Concept:

A resting neuron behaves like a biological battery, maintaining a separation of charge across its lipid bilayer.

Solution:

  • During the resting (polarized) state, the active \(\text{Na}^+/\text{K}^+\) pumps and selective leak channels create an electrochemical gradient. This results in the inside of the plasma membrane having a net negative charge (recorded as negative voltage or "energy" in the exact exam phrasing) relative to the more positive outside.


Why other options are incorrect:

  • Inside is positive / Positive charge moves inside: This describes the depolarized active state, not the polarized resting state.


  • Same energy: This would mean zero membrane potential, meaning the neuron is dead or unable to fire.

Quality & Fidelity Assurance: Every question on BeambePrep is rigorously curated against the official PMDC syllabus with zero filler, zero out-of-syllabus content, and zero typos. When an authentic past paper originally contained a historical mistake or ambiguity from the examining board (such as UHS or NUMS), BeambePrep faithfully reflects the original paper while detailing the nuance and scientific consensus in the autopsy above.

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