The speed of a nerve impulse in the human body is about 100 m/s. If you accidentally stub you toe in the dark, estimate the time it takes the nerve impulse to travel to your brain. (Assume that you are approximately 1.6 m tall and that the nerve impulse travels at uniform speed.)

Question

Physics

Camryn Fernandez

26 June, 10:45

The speed of a nerve impulse in the human body is about 100 m/s. If you accidentally stub you toe in the dark, estimate the time it takes the nerve impulse to travel to your brain. (Assume that you are approximately 1.6 m tall and that the nerve impulse travels at uniform speed.)

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Answers (1)

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Manning · Answer 1

0.02 s

Explanation:

Take the (+x) direction to be up.

The average velocity v during a time interval Δt is the displacement Δx divided by Δt.

v=Δx/Δt

=x_f-x_i/t_f-t_i (1)

We assume that your height is 1.6m

Solving [1]

Δt=Δx/v

= 0.02 s