Length Constant Calculator

Calculate Length Constant (λ)



Formula

The formula to calculate the Length Constant (λ) is:

\[ \lambda = \sqrt{\frac{r_m}{r_a}} \]

Where:

What is a Length Constant?

The length constant (λ) is a key parameter in neurophysiology that describes how far an electrical impulse can propagate along a neuron’s axon before it decays to 37% of its original amplitude. It is influenced by the properties of the axon’s membrane and its internal resistance. A larger length constant indicates that the impulse can travel further without significant decay, which is important for the efficient transmission of neural signals over long distances.