Earthworm Lab Report

The experiments showed that the rate of action potentials can be affected by different stimulus and obstacles, like temperature or rate of which the action potential reaches the source though different obstacles. The earthworm experiment showed that action potentials work best under normal temperatures at which the organism can operate under like room temperature. Like in the FM imaging experiment it showed that most the earthworms sensors are on the surface of the earthworm, if the temperature isn’t ideal for the earthworm then the action potentials won’t fire fast enough to get away from prey under those circumstances. The cooling effects placed on the earthworm effects the medial neuron which slows all action potentials coming and going. The other part of this experiment showed that when stimulus strength and durations of the action potentials are changed to higher frequencies the less time the cell has get out the the absolute refractory period, which means no other action potential will fire until it moves to relative refractory period. …show more content…
The isometric contraction showed that when the brain is occupied by an action the reflex arc will then take over and allow a different muscle to still contract. The Jendrassik maneuver was shown to decrease the response component from the onset of the stretch in both extensor and flexor muscles (Nardone & Schieppati, 2008). In the experiment it did slow the action potential velocity down to close to the same value as when the tendon was struck relaxed. As the stimulus on the tendons increases in amplitude it was shown the that action potentials had a faster velocity speed but did not change the amplitude of the action