Nerve Cell.3

Actual Elapsed Time: 20 milliseconds (20 thousandths of a second)

Nerve impulses race through a network of nerve cells - carrying information to different parts of the body. By slowing the action down 1,000 times, we can see the stuttering nature of individual pulses. Pulses travel between nerve cells very quickly. But before a nerve pulse can travel to a new cell it must jump across the synaptic gap - a tiny space between the two nerve cells. Crossing the gap is the slowest part of the nerve pulse's journey.

How This Clip Was Made:

This animation was made by first creating 3-dimensional models of different parts of a nerve cell based on technical information. The models were then animated over time to show this function of a nerve cell. The individual frames of the animation were then combined into a video clip.Technical illustrator: Audre Newman. Animator: Richard Hone.

Related Clips:

Nerve Cell.1 - Approximate Elapsed Time: 20 microseconds (20 millionths of a second)

Nerve Cell.2 - Actual Elapsed Time: 200 microseconds (200 millionths of a second)