What happens to a nerve impulse at the synapse?

• A. It is intensified.
• B. It is transmitted instantly without delay.
• C. It is converted to a chemical signal.
• D. It is stopped completely.

Answer: (C)

At the synapse, a nerve impulse, which travels as an electrical signal along the axon, undergoes a crucial transformation. Upon reaching the synaptic terminal, the electrical signal prompts the release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles into the synaptic cleft. This process highlights the conversion of the nerve impulse into a chemical signal, as these neurotransmitters diffuse across the cleft and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron's membrane, generating a new electrical signal in that neuron.

This conversion is essential for communication between neurons, as it allows the propagation of nerve impulses throughout the nervous system. Understanding this mechanism is fundamental to the study of synaptic transmission and neural communication.