Brain Electric Pulses: What Happens to the Pulse?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jobyts
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Brain Electric
AI Thread Summary
Electric pulses from the body's senses are transmitted to the brain, which utilizes about 100 watts of power. The discussion highlights the brain's energy consumption and its significant role in heat loss, with half of the body's heat dissipated through the head. There is a lack of definitive studies on the specifics of how these electric pulses are processed in relation to energy conservation. The complexity of brain chemistry complicates the understanding of these pulses. It is emphasized that these neural signals should not be directly compared to electrical currents in wires.
jobyts
Messages
226
Reaction score
60
The senses in our body sends electric pulses to the brain. Once it reaches the brain, what happens to the pulse (in the context of conservation of energy)?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The brain uses approximately 100 watts of power. Remember that half of the body's heat loss (the result of dissipated energy) is radiated from the head.
 
I don't believe there are any definitive studies on that. There are just a ton of chemicals you would have to account for. Although it makes a decent anaolgy, you shouldn't think of those pulses in the same way you think of a current in a wire.
 

Thread 'Why measure the speed of light in one direction?'

It may be shown from the equations of electromagnetism, by James Clerk Maxwell in the 1860’s, that the speed of light in the vacuum of free space is related to electric permittivity (ϵ) and magnetic permeability (μ) by the equation: c=1/√( μ ϵ ) . This value is a constant for the vacuum of free space and is independent of the motion of the observer. It was this fact, in part, that led Albert Einstein to Special Relativity.
View full post »

Similar threads

Energy within an electric field
Replies
40
Views
4K
Electric or magnetic field pulse generetor
Replies
16
Views
2K
How Fast Does an Electrical Impulse Travel in a Copper Wire?
3
Replies
100
Views
10K
Electrical Fields within the body
Replies
4
Views
2K
I Magnetic Resonance physics question: RF pulse role and 'in-phase'
Replies
9
Views
3K
Why does a quick pulse of a pure tone have overtones?
Replies
21
Views
2K
B Can lasers really cause explosions? Let's use a silly hypothetical to find out!
Replies
12
Views
2K
I Work done by electric field of an irregularly shaped conductor
Replies
3
Views
2K
Can a Grounded Person's Brain Still Generate Electric Charges?
Replies
2
Views
8K
Medical Electrical stimulation of the Vagus nerve may relieve treatment-resistant depression
Replies
1
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top