A 1.0 Hz EEG wave is measured at 15mm peak to peak, and the sensitivity is 5uV/mm. What is the voltage of the wave?

To find the voltage of the EEG wave, it’s essential to understand the relationship between peak-to-peak amplitude, sensitivity, and voltage. The sensitivity of the EEG machine tells us how many microvolts correspond to each millimeter of amplitude measured on the EEG tracing.

Given that the sensitivity is 5 µV/mm, this means for every millimeter of peak-to-peak amplitude recorded, there is an equivalent of 5 microvolts. The peak-to-peak amplitude of the wave is measured at 15 mm. Therefore, the calculation for the voltage becomes:

Voltage (in µV) = Peak-to-peak amplitude (in mm) × Sensitivity (in µV/mm)

So, plugging in the values we have:

Voltage = 15 mm × 5 µV/mm = 75 µV

This indicates that the voltage of the wave is 75 microvolts, making it the correct answer. Understanding this calculation is key as it reflects the underlying principles of how EEGs are interpreted in a clinical setting.