Chemical synapses are specialized junctions that allow neurons to communicate with each other. When an electrical signal, or action potential, reaches the end of a neuron, it triggers the release of neurotransmitters. These chemical messengers travel across the synaptic cleft, the small gap between neurons, to bind to receptors on the receiving neuron. This binding process can either excite or inhibit the receiving neuron, influencing whether it will generate its own action potential. Chemical synapses are essential for various functions in the nervous system, including learning, memory, and muscle contraction.