Compared to the Outside Surface, the Inside of a Resting

Question

Compared to the outside surface, the inside of a resting cell membrane is
A) positively charged.
B) negatively charged.
C) electrically neutral.
D) continuously reversing its electrical charge.
E) positively charged whenever the sodium-potassium pump is active.

Accepted Answer

The inside of a resting cell membrane is negatively charged relative to the outside. This is due to the accumulation of negatively charged ions (such as proteins and nucleic acids) and the distribution of positive and negative ions across the membrane.