Which of the following time constants would best display delta activity?

Delta activity, which consists of EEG waveforms in the frequency range of 0.5 to 4 Hz, typically manifests with slower transitions and longer time constants on an EEG display. A time constant is a measure of how quickly a system responds to changes in voltage, with longer time constants effectively smoothing out rapid fluctuations. This is essential for accurately representing slower brain wave activities like delta waves, which may not be effectively captured at faster time constants.

A time constant of 1.0 second allows for the integration of these slower frequencies over a longer period, making delta activity more prominent and visible on an EEG recording. This setting provides a clearer picture of the sustained nature of delta waves compared to shorter time constants, which may not display these low-frequency activities with adequate amplitude or clarity.

In contrast, shorter time constants such as 0.1 sec or 0.3 sec would lead to a more sensitive response to rapid changes, which can obscure the visibility of delta activity due to the inherent slower nature of these brain waves. Therefore, a time constant of 1.0 sec is optimal for capturing and displaying delta activity accurately.