An action potential is an all-ornone event. This on/off signaling is an evolutionary adaptation of animals that must sense and act in a complex environment. It is possible to imagine a nervous system in which the action potentials are graded, with the amplitude depending on the size of the stimulus. Describe what evolutionary advantage on/ off signaling might have over a graded (continuously variable) kind of signaling.

An action potential is an all-ornone event. This on/off signaling is an evolutionary adaptation of animals that must sense and act in a complex environment. It is possible to imagine a nervous system in which the action potentials are graded, with the amplitude depending on the size of the stimulus. Describe what evolutionary advantage on/ off signaling might have over a graded (continuously variable) kind of signaling.

Biology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)

4th Edition

ISBN:9781305389892

Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillan

Publisher:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillan

Chapter39: Information Flow And The Neuron

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 1TYK

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EVOLUTION CONNECTION An action potential is an all-ornone event. This on/off signaling is an evolutionary adaptationof animals that must sense and act in a complex environment.It is possible to imagine a nervous system in which the actionpotentials are graded, with the amplitude depending on thesize of the stimulus. Describe what evolutionary advantage on/off signaling might have over a graded (continuously variable)kind of signaling.
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