Final answer:
Repolarization refers to the period in which K+ ions diffuse out of the neuron due to a change in membrane permeability. It restores the membrane potential to its resting state and is essential for the neuron to transmit another impulse.
Step-by-step explanation:
Repolarisation in Neurons
Repolarization refers to the period in which K+ ions diffuse out of the neuron due to a change in membrane permeability. This occurs after depolarization, when the inside of the membrane becomes more positive relative to the outside as Na+ ions flow to the inside. Repolarization restores the membrane potential to its resting state and is essential for the neuron to transmit another impulse.
During repolarization, voltage-gated sodium channels close, while potassium channels continue to remain open. K+ flows from the inside to the outside of the neuron, leading to the reestablishment of the negative charge inside the cell. This process brings the membrane voltage back towards the resting potential and allows the neuron to return to its ability to generate another action potential.