The cardiac cycle describes the repeating sequence of events in the heart from one heartbeat to the next. It involves systole, when the heart contracts to pump blood, and diastole, when the heart relaxes and refills with blood. The normal cardiac cycle lasts 0.8 seconds and includes atrial systole, ventricular systole, and relaxation. An electrocardiogram (ECG) records and measures the heart's electrical activity through electrodes placed on the skin, detecting the P wave, QRS complex, ST segment, and T wave to evaluate the heart's rhythm and electrical conduction.