The squid giant axon occupies a unique position in the history of our understanding of cell membrane potentials and nerve action.

The squid giant axon occupies a unique position in the history of our understanding of cell membrane potentials and nerve action. When an electrode is stuck into an intact giant axon, the membrane potential registers a negative number. Resting membrane potential at room temperature is solely determined by the sodium and potassium channels. See below for the ion gradients.

Ion Cytoplasm Seawater

Na+ 60 mM 420 mM

K+ 400 mM 20 mM

If the permeability to K+ is 50 times of that to Na+, what is the resting potential? (Show your work).

((im more so unsure of how to represent K+ increase in permeability (50 times more) relative to NA+. Do i simply assume Na+ is 1 and K+ 50 or do i write it as a decimal and if so how? Or am i supposed to use their normal known permeabilities and calculate the percentage from that somehow.

Thankyou for your help