Top trace and bottom trace

Forums: English, Esl, Grammar
Email this Topic • Print this Page

What does "trace" mean here? "Top trace" refers to CO2 molecules (two red points with a black point in between in the pic)?

Context:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2011/06/110601134255-large.jpg

This image depicts scanning electron micrographs of the heads of a Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito (foreground) and Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly; background). Representative traces of a CO2-sensitive neuron activated by CO2 (top trace) and inhibited by addition of odor 2,3-butanedione (bottom trace). The structures of CO2 and 2,3-butanedione are also shown. (Credit: S. Turner, UC Riverside)

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Question • Score: 2 • Views: 926 • Replies: 3

No top replies

View best answer, chosen by oristarA

A trace in this context is a recording of electrical activity (here, in a neuron) over time as shown on a pen recorder or on a display device such as an oscilloscope. There are two in the picture.

Here they are...

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p29/badoit/110601134255-large.jpg

And here are some more...

http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/56/5/1219/F1.medium.gif

0 Replies

@oristarA,

There are two red readouts on the picture. Each is a trace, so you have a "top" trace above a "bottom" trace. The red, black and gray structures are molecule models. The black is Carbon, the red is Oxygen and the gray is Hydrogen, so the black between two reds is CO2, the other structure with four Carbons linked together with Oxygen on the second and third is 2,3-butanedione.

0 Replies

Cool!

Thank you both.

0 Replies

Top trace and bottom trace

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know