Question

biom130 exam 3 - chapters 10 and 11 nervous syst...
18
multiple choice
how do diverging axons amplify an impulse?
by stimulating many neurons
by returning the impulse to the neuron of origin
by spreading into multiple axons
by connecting to effectors

Explanation:

Diverging axonal pathways in the nervous system work by a single neuron’s axon branching (or the axon collaterals) to synapse with multiple other neurons. This way, the electrical or chemical impulse (action potential, neurotransmitter signal) from one neuron is distributed to many downstream neurons, effectively amplifying the signal’s effect (since one input now influences many targets). Other options: Returning to origin is not how amplification works (that would be feedback but not typical divergence). Splitting into multiple axons – a neuron has one axon (with collaterals, but not "splitting into multiple axons" as a main mechanism for amplification via divergence). The key is the distribution to many neurons to amplify the impulse’s reach/effect.

Answer:

By spreading to many neurons (assuming this is the correct option; however, due to the image clarity, if the intended correct option is the one about spreading to many neurons, that's the answer. If there was a typo and one of the options is "By spreading to many neurons" (correct concept: Diverging axons of a neuron can branch to connect with many other neurons, thus amplifying the impulse by distributing it to multiple target neurons), so the correct option would be the one stating "By spreading to many neurons" (exact option label depends on the original, but the concept is that diverging axons amplify impulses by sending the signal to multiple neurons).