What term describes the pattern of electrical charge in the heart that produces the EKG?

The pattern of electrical charge in the heart that produces the EKG is referred to as depolarization. This term represents the process by which cardiac cells undergo a change in electrical charge, leading to the contraction of the heart muscle. During depolarization, sodium ions enter the cells, resulting in a less negative (or more positive) charge inside the cells. This creates the electrical impulses that are captured by the EKG, visible in the P wave, QRS complex, and T wave.

In contrast, repolarization is the phase that follows depolarization, where the cells return to their resting state after contraction. An electrical wave describes the general propagation of electrical impulses through cardiac tissues but does not pinpoint the specific process that generates the EKG. The QRS complex is a specific component of the electrical activity and represents ventricular depolarization, but it is not the term that encompasses the entire pattern of electrical charge in the heart.