The resting potential of neurons is negative because a. there is an excess of K + outside of the cell at rest. b. at rest there is an excess of K + outside of the cell, and the membrane is permeable chiefly to K + . c. at rest there is an excess of K + inside the cell, and the membrane is permeable chiefly to K + . d. at rest there is an excess of K + inside the cell, but the membrane is permeable to all ions. e. there is an excess of Cl - ions outside of the cell at rest..