Answer:
The initial effect of a stimulus on a sensory receptor is a small, local change in membrane potential called a(n) receptor potential.
Explanation:
The process used by sensory receptors to transform the physical energy of the sensory stimulus into action potentials, the fundamental unit of information in the nervous system, is called sensory transduction. The entrance of positive charges towards the interior (mainly Na +), will cause a depolarization; while if there is an exit of positive charges from the interior (mainly K +) then hyperpolarization will occur. This change in membrane potential is called the receptor potential. A receptor potential is then a local potential that can sometimes represent the only response that results from the transduction process, for example in the taste sensory cell.
