Anatomy & Movement
In which anatomical plane does a standing biceps-curl mainly occur?
Sagittal plane
State Newton’s first law of motion.
A body remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by an unbalanced force
Which energy system resynthesises ATP most rapidly but for ~10 s?
ATP–PC/phosphagen system
Which autonomic subdivision drives “fight-or-flight” responses in competition?
Sympathetic nervous system
What is attentional focus in sport psychology?
The ability to direct cognitive resources toward task-relevant stimuli.
Around which axis does ab/ad-duction of the shoulder take place?
Sagittal (antero-posterior) axis
Standing on tip-toes uses which class of lever?
Second-class lever
During a 400 m sprint, which system predominates in the final 100 m?
Anaerobic glycolytic (lactic acid) system
Define homeostasis.
Maintenance of a stable internal environment despite external change.
According to Nideffer’s model, which attentional style is needed when a quarterback scans multiple receivers?
Broad–external focus
Which synovial joint type permits flexion/extension, ab-/ad-duction & circumduction of the thumb?
Saddle joint
A lever has an effort arm of 4 cm and a load arm of 2 cm. Calculate its mechanical advantage (MA).
MA = 4 ÷ 2 = 2 (>1, force advantage)
Name the aerobic pathway entered by pyruvate inside mitochondria.
Krebs (citric-acid) cycle
Identify the hormone released from the posterior pituitary that promotes renal water re-absorption during exercise.
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
Distinguish state from trait anxiety in athletes
State = momentary nervousness; Trait = general predisposition to perceive situations as threatening.
Name the connective-tissue sheath that surrounds an entire skeletal muscle and state its role.
Epimysium; binds fibres & transmits force
Using Newton’s second law, explain why increasing block push-off force accelerates a sprinter faster.
Greater net force → larger acceleration (F = m a) for the same mass.
Briefly describe β-oxidation and its role in events lasting >2 h.
Sequential cleavage of fatty-acid chains into acetyl-CoA for aerobic ATP, sparing glycogen.
Explain how rising plasma osmolality triggers thirst & ADH release to restore fluid balance.
Hypothalamic osmoreceptors stimulate thirst centre & posterior pituitary → ADH → kidney collecting ducts increase water permeability → dilute plasma ➝ negative feedback.
Describe the inverted-U (Yerkes-Dodson) relationship between arousal and performance.
Performance improves with arousal up to an optimal point; beyond it, further arousal impairs performance.
Explain how the collagen fibre orientation in articular cartilage helps absorb impact when landing from a jump.
Superficial fibres resist shear; deeper vertical fibres disperse compressive loads into subchondral bone, protecting the joint surface.
Describe how conservation of angular momentum explains a diver tucking mid-air to spin faster, then untucking to slow rotation before entry.
Moment of inertia ↓ in tuck → ω ↑ to keep L constant; reverse when untucking.
Outline how the Cori cycle supports repeated high-intensity efforts.
Lactate → liver → gluconeogenesis → blood glucose → muscle, recycling carb fuel and clearing acid.
Discuss links between cardiovascular drift, thermoregulation and fluid loss during a 60-min run in the heat.
Sweat-induced ↓plasma volume & shunting of blood to skin lower stroke volume; HR rises to maintain Q̇; core temp ↑; if fluids/electrolytes not replaced, performance declines.
Apply catastrophe theory to explain a sudden performance collapse in an elite gymnast under high cognitive anxiety.
When physiological arousal is high and cognitive anxiety spikes, a small additional stressor can push the athlete past a threshold, causing dramatic drop-off rather than gradual decline; recovery requires arousal reduction before performance can rebound.