Current (electricity) in the context of "Rise time"

A receptor potential, also known as a generator potential, a type of graded potential, is the transmembrane potential difference produced by activation of a sensory receptor.

A receptor potential is often produced by sensory transduction. It is generally a depolarizing event resulting from inward current flow. The influx of current will often bring the membrane potential of the sensory receptor towards the threshold for triggering an action potential. Receptor potential can work to trigger an action potential either within the same neuron or on an adjacent cell. Within the same neuron, a receptor potential can cause local current to flow to a region capable of generating an action potential by opening voltage-gated ion channels. A receptor potential can also cause the release of neurotransmitters from one cell that will act on another cell, generating an action potential in the second cell. The magnitude of the receptor potential determines the frequency with which action potentials are generated and is controlled by adaptation, stimulus strength, and temporal summation of successive receptor potentials. Receptor potential relies on receptor sensitivity which can adapt slowly, resulting in a slowly decaying receptor potential or rapidly, resulting in a quickly generated but shorter-lasting receptor potential.

Ionic conductivity (denoted by λ) is the movement of ions through a solid material, a phenomenon central to solid-state ionics. It is denoted by λ and measured in siemens per meter (S/m). While perfect crystals of inorganic compounds are typically electrical insulators, ionic conduction arises when defects are introduced—either intrinsically through thermal activation or extrinsically via doping with aliovalent impurities. These defects enable ion migration by providing pathways through the crystal lattice. Solid ionic conductors, known as solid electrolytes, are critical components in technologies such as all-solid-state batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, and thin-film microelectronic devices. The ionic conductivity (σ) follows an Arrhenius-type relationship with temperature, governed by activation energy barriers influenced by crystal structure and defect chemistry. Ionic conduction is one mechanism of current.

IEC 60228 is the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)'s international standard on conductors of insulated cables. As of 2023 the current version is Third Edition 2004-11Among other things, it defines a set of standard wire cross-sectional areas:

In engineering applications, it is often most convenient to describe a wire in terms of its cross-section area, rather than its diameter, because the cross section is directly proportional to its strength and weight, and inversely proportional to its resistance. The cross-sectional area is also related to the maximum current that a metallic wire can carry safely.