The structure and function of bones
This is the total number of bones found in the skeleton of an adult human.
206
This is the term for the joint movement that decreases the angle between two bones — for example, bending your elbow.
What is flexion
This is the only type of muscle contraction that produces tension but NO movement at the joint.
What is an isometric contraction?
In simple terms, this is the definition of a force.
What is a push or pull that occurs when two objects interact?
A shot put has a mass of 4 kg and accelerates at 6 m/s². Calculate the force applied.
What is 24 N? (F = m × a → 4 × 6 = 24)
These are the TWO main parts of the human skeleton — one forms the long axis of the body, and the other supports the arms and legs.
What are the axial and appendicular skeleton?
When a swimmer performs a freestyle arm stroke and moves their arm away from the midline of the body during the recovery phase, this is the joint movement occurring at the shoulder.
What is abduction?
Name the THREE types of muscle found in the human body.
What are skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle?
Name the TWO broad categories of force, and give one example of each.
What are internal forces (e.g. muscles contracting) and external forces (e.g. gravity, friction)?
A gym sled weighs 60 kg and moves at 3 m/s. Calculate its momentum.
What is 180 kg m/s? (p = m × v → 60 × 3 = 180)
Name THREE functions of the skeletal system as described in functional anatomy.
What are support, protection, movement, mineral storage, and blood cell production? (Any 3 accepted)
These two paired movements describe the rotation of the forearm: one turns the palm to face posteriorly or downward, while the other turns the palm to face anteriorly or upward. Name both.
What are pronation (palm facing down/back) and supination (palm facing up/forward)?
The biceps brachii is this muscle role during a bicep curl, while the triceps brachii plays this opposing role. Name both roles.
What are agonist (biceps) and antagonist (triceps)?
A lawn bowl slows as it rolls across the green. A swimmer slows moving through water. Name the contact force responsible for each.
What are friction force (lawn bowl) and drag force (swimmer)?
Name TWO of THREE biomechanical concepts that combine to produce force.
What are momentum, summation of forces, and impulse?
This type of bone tissue forms the hard, solid outer shell of most bones, while its partner tissue forms the lightweight, honeycomb-like inner layer filled with marrow and blood vessels.
What are compact bone (outer) and spongy bone (inner)?
When you roll your foot so the sole faces inward, then outward — name both movements.
What are inversion (sole inward) and eversion (sole outward)?
Name the THREE functions of skeletal muscles in the body.
What are producing movement, stabilising posture, and generating heat to maintain body temperature?
A rugby player drops the ball after being tackled and it keeps moving forward. A tennis ball briefly changes shape on impact before returning to normal. Name the contact force shown in each.
What are inertial force (ball keeps moving) and elastic force (ball returns to shape)?
In sequential summation of forces, which body parts move FIRST and which move LAST? Give a sport example.
What is larger, stronger, slower body parts first (e.g. legs and torso), followed by smaller, lighter, faster parts last (e.g. arms, wrist, fingers) — e.g. a discus throw or netball shot?
The patella is the classic example of this specific bone type, which is embedded within tendons at sites of high pressure. Name the bone type.
What is a sesamoid bone?
Name the THREE types of joints in the human body, identify which one allows free movement, and give an example of each.
What are fibrous (e.g. skull sutures), cartilaginous (e.g. vertebral discs), and synovial (e.g. knee/shoulder) — synovial joints are the only type that allow free movement?
Name the TWO types of isotonic contraction, and give a one-word description of what the muscle does in each.
What are concentric (shortens) and eccentric (lengthens)?
Name the TWO types of external forces and give one sport example of each.
What are contact forces (e.g. friction when a sprinter pushes off the ground) and non-contact forces (e.g. gravitational force pulling a gymnast back to the ground)?
A bowling ball hits stationary pins and slows down. The pins begin to move. What principle explains this, and what happens to the total momentum?
What is conservation of momentum? The momentum is not lost — it is transferred from the bowling ball to the pins. The total combined momentum before and after the collision remains the same.