SYSTEM LINKS
MECHANISMS
APPLICATION
EXAMINER TRAP
NOS / DATA
100

Two body systems that interact to maintain homeostasis during exercise

  • Nervous system
  • Endocrine system
    (also acceptable: cardiovascular + respiratory)
100

One mechanism by which ATP is resynthesized during high-intensity exercise

  • Phosphocreatine system. (PCr breaks down → resynthesizes ATP)
100

What strategy can an athlete can use to maintain hydration during exercise?

  • Drink fluids regularly AND replace electrolytes
100

Inability to maintain required force or power output is...

fatigue

100

Identify one variable that should be controlled in an exercise experiment.

temperature / intensity / duration

200

Example of how the cardiovascular and respiratory systems work together to increase oxygen delivery during exercise

  • Ventilation increases → more O₂ enters alveoli
  • Diffusion gradient increases → more O₂ enters blood
  • Cardiac output increases → faster transport to muscles
  • More O₂ delivered for aerobic respiration 
200

Using the sliding filament theory, what is the purpose of calcium ions in muscle contraction? 

  • Ca²⁺ exposes binding sites on actin
  • (Myosin heads form cross-bridges, which allows for the power stroke to happen → filaments slide)
  • (ATP detaches and resets cross-bridge)
200

How does VO₂ max influence endurance performance?

  • Higher VO₂ max → greater aerobic capacity  → more O₂ delivered → more ATP production  → delays fatigue 
200

A student states: “Lactic acid causes fatigue.”
Explain why this is an oversimplification.

  • Lactate is not the cause
  • H⁺ accumulation lowers pH
  • Affects enzyme activity and contraction 
200

Consistency of results is ...

reliability

300

Example of how the endocrine system interacts with energy systems to maintain blood glucose during prolonged exercise

  • Insulin decreases during exercise, so less glucose is absorbed by tissues, maintaining the glucose level in the blood
  • Glucagon increases → glycogenolysis in liver
  • Gluconeogenesis produces glucose
300

Example of how increasing static friction improves performance in a sport

  • Static friction prevents slipping between surfaces. Higher coefficient → greater grip. Allows greater force application without loss of contact, improves stability and force transfer 
300

Example of how imagery can improve performance.

  • Activates neural pathways, allowing athletes to train strategy and tactics without overtraining
  • Reinforces movement patterns, allowing the athlete to improve without overtraining 
  • Improves confidence and focus
  • Useful during recovering from injury to maintain the neural pathways, leading to improved performance after returning
300

A coach gives rewards for winning. Student states that this would improve athlete's motivation. Why is this not always correct?

  • Overemphasis on external rewards
  • Reduces autonomy
  • Shifts motivation to extrinsic
  • Undermines intrinsic motivation 
300

Example of a limitation of using a small sample size in a sports science study.

  • Low reliability
  • Not representative → low generalizability
400

Example of how the lactate inflection point is linked to energy system contribution during exercise

  • LIP = point where lactate accumulates rapidly; increased lactate production > removal  → Shift from aerobic to anaerobic glycolysis
400

What are the four physiological causes of fatigue during prolonged exercise?

  • Glycogen depletion
  • Metabolite accumulation (H⁺)
  • Reduced Ca²⁺ release
  • Central fatigue (reduced neural drive)
400

A runner competes in hot conditions. Which physiological challenge do they face?


  • Cardiovascular drift: dehydration → ↓ sweating → impaired cooling → ↓ plasma volume → ↓ stroke volume → ↑ heart rate → cardiovascular strain → Reduced endurance performance
  • Hyperthermia → enzyme dysfunction
400

An elite athlete achieves a major life goal at a competition. How could this affect their motivation in the future? 

  • Achieving goals usually motivate performance, but achieving a huge goal can reduce motivation, as the person loses focus and purpose
400

A study investigates the effect of a new training programme on performance but does not control for athletes’ prior fitness levels. How does this affect the validity of the study?

  • Prior fitness is a confounding variable
  • Differences in performance may be due to baseline fitness, not training programme
  • Reduces internal validity
  • Cannot establish causal relationship
500

Example of physiological systems interacting with environmental conditions in limiting endurance performance

  • Physiological systems set limits (VO₂ max, energy supply), environment increases strain (heat, altitude)
  • Heat → thermoregulatory stress limits performance
  • Altitude → ↓ O₂ availability limits aerobic system
500

How can the ski jumper maximize lift during flight?

By adopting a V-style position, where they spread their skis into a wide V-shape to increase surface area - by leaning forward to become almost parallel with their skis, they form a "human wing" with a high-pressure zone underneath, effectively reducing drag and maximizing flight distance

500

A cyclist completes a time trial in windy conditions.
How do drag and physiological factors influence their performance, and what strategy can they take to improve it?

  • Drag increases with wind → greater resistive force
  • More energy required to maintain speed
  • Increased fatigue due to higher metabolic demand
  • Physiological strain (↑ HR, ↑ oxygen demand)

Strategy:

  • Reduce frontal area (aerodynamic position)
  • Drafting / pacing strategy
500

Example of a common limitation in physiological research in sport and how it affects conclusions.

  • Small sample size → low generalizability
  • Lack of control → confounding variables
  • Measurement error → reduced reliability
  • Reduces validity of conclusions
500

Five examples of how scientists can improve reliability and validity when investigating performance in sport.

  • Larger sample size
  • Control variables
  • Standardized procedures
  • Repeat trials
  • Use objective measurements 
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