The Undershoot of the Action Potential is Primarily Attributable to Which

Question

The undershoot of the action potential is primarily attributable to which of the following?
A) Sodium influx
B) Sodium efflux
C) Potassium influx
D) Potassium efflux

Accepted Answer

The undershoot of the action potential, also known as the hyperpolarization phase, is primarily due to potassium efflux. During this phase, potassium channels remain open longer than sodium channels, allowing more potassium to leave the cell than is necessary to return to the resting potential, thus causing the membrane potential to become more negative than the resting potential.