What is the process called when sodium ions rush into the cell causing the interior to become more positive?

The process referred to when sodium ions rush into the cell, resulting in the interior becoming more positive, is known as depolarization. During depolarization, the influx of sodium ions alters the membrane potential of the neuron, shifting from a negative value toward a more positive value, which is crucial for the generation and propagation of an action potential. This change in membrane potential occurs when voltage-gated sodium channels open in response to a stimulus, allowing sodium ions, which are more concentrated outside the cell, to flow into the cell, resulting in a decrease in the negativity of the interior.

Hyperpolarization, on the other hand, is when the interior of the cell becomes more negative than the resting membrane potential, typically due to the efflux of potassium ions or the influx of chloride ions. Polarization generally refers to the state of having a difference in charges across the membrane, such as the resting membrane potential but does not specifically denote the change in voltage. Repolarization is the process that follows depolarization, where the cell returns to its resting membrane potential after the action potential has occurred, often involving the outflow of potassium ions. Therefore, depolarization is the appropriate term for the described event of sodium ions entering the cell and making the