Question

The cell membrane can be modeled as a plate capacitor, with the lipid membrane as the insulator and the intracellular and extracellular fluid as conducting plates. It has been experimentally shown that biological membranes typically have a capacitance of 1 mu F per square centimeter of membrane. Use the definition of capacitance with Faraday's constant to determine the charge and the number of moles of excess ions stored on 1 cm^2 of each of the following membranes: Smooth muscle cell, with a resting intracellular potential of -50 mV to -60 mV. Large nerve fiber, with a resting intracellular potential of -90 mV. Large nerve fiber, with an "overshoot" action potential of +35 mV.

Answer 1

The plate capacitor are the the type of capacitor which are formed by arrangements of electrodes and insulating material

Capacitance of 1mu f per square centimeter

By using the definition of capacitance (the ratio of the change in an electric charge in a system to the corresponding change in it's electric potential)

By using Faraday's constant

Faraday's constant is approximately (96485 c mol-1)

(1 Farad=1coulomb/1volt)

1mf=1000uf=1000000nf

Charge(c)=