Part of the Reason for the Charge Difference Inside and Outside

Question

Part of the reason for the charge difference inside and outside a neuron's membrane is:
A) excess potassium outside the membrane.
B) excess sodium inside the membrane.
C) negatively charged proteins inside the membrane.
D) positively charged proteins inside the membrane.
E) positively charged proteins outside the membrane.

Accepted Answer

The negatively charged proteins inside the membrane contribute to the negative charge of the neuron's interior, creating a difference in charge between the inside and outside of the membrane. This is known as the resting potential. While there are also concentrations of sodium and potassium involved, and positively charged ions outside the membrane, they do not fully explain the charge difference on their own.