The Refractory Period (A-level Biology)
The Refractory Period
Refractory Period
After the sodium ion channels have been activated, they cannot re-open until resting potential has been established – this is the refractory period. It ensures that the movement of the impulse is unidirectional, meaning that it will only travel forwards, not backwards.
The refractory period enables a time delay between action potentials, which has several purposes:
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- Limits frequency – the refractory period limits the frequency of impulse transmission, meaning that too many impulses don’t fire at once.
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- Produces discrete impulses – impulses do not overlap, but instead are individual and come separately.
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