Basics Parts to an Electrokardiogram [EKG]

The video tutorial explains the cardiomyocyte action potential, highlighting its occurrence in individual cells and its role in the cardiac cycle. It contrasts this with the electrokardiogram (EKG), which measures the heart's overall electrical activity. The tutorial details the EKG's segments: P wave, QRS complex, and T wave, explaining their associated electrical and mechanical events. The video emphasizes the distinction between microscopic action potentials and macroscopic EKG readings, preparing viewers for practice problems on heart rate determination.

What is the primary focus of the cardiomyocyte action potential?

• The contraction of the entire heart

• The blood flow through the heart

• The voltage on one membrane of one muscle cell

• The overall electrical activity of the heart

How does the EKG differ from the cardiomyocyte action potential?

• It measures the electrical activity of a single cell

• It focuses on the chemical composition of the heart

• It assesses the overall electrical activity of the heart

• It only measures the atrial activity

What does the P wave in an EKG represent?

• Ventricular repolarization

• Atrial repolarization

• Atrial depolarization

• Ventricular depolarization

Which component of the EKG is associated with ventricular depolarization?

• P wave

• U wave

• QRS complex

• T wave

What mechanical event follows the T wave in an EKG?

• Ventricular diastole

• Atrial diastole

• Ventricular systole

• Atrial systole

What is masked by the QRS complex in an EKG?

• Ventricular systole

• Atrial repolarization

• Ventricular repolarization

• Atrial depolarization

What is the primary purpose of the EKG?

• To measure blood pressure

• To measure the action potential of a single cardiomyocyte

• To assess the overall electrical activity of the heart

• To determine the chemical balance in the heart