The formula to calculate the Length Constant (λ) is:
\[ \lambda = \sqrt{\frac{r_m}{r_a}} \]
Where:
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.
