How do altitude, heat and cold affect the body systems and performance?
Environmental effects on body systems: the physiological responses to altitude, heat and humidity, and cold, the implications for aerobic and anaerobic performance, and acclimatisation strategies.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level PE on environmental effects: the fall in oxygen partial pressure at altitude and its effect on VO2 max, thermoregulation and cardiovascular drift in heat and humidity, the risks of cold, and acclimatisation strategies including live high train low.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to explain the physiological responses to altitude, heat and humidity, and cold, the implications for aerobic and anaerobic performance, and the acclimatisation strategies performers use.
Altitude
Acclimatisation to altitude
To prepare for competition or training at altitude, athletes acclimatise by arriving two to three weeks early, allowing the haematological adaptations (more red cells) to develop. A popular strategy is "live high, train low": the athlete sleeps and rests at altitude (gaining the increase in red cells) but trains at a lower altitude (so they can still train at high intensity, which is hard in thin air). This aims to gain the oxygen-carrying benefits of altitude without the loss of training quality.
Heat and humidity
Cold
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20194 marksExplain why endurance performance is impaired at altitude, and outline one strategy a marathon runner could use to prepare for a race held at altitude.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 environmental question. Two marks for the physiology, two for the strategy.
At altitude the air is thinner, so the partial pressure of oxygen is lower even though the percentage of oxygen is unchanged. This reduces the pressure gradient driving oxygen from the alveoli into the blood, so haemoglobin is less fully saturated and less oxygen is delivered to the muscles. Aerobic energy supply falls, VO2 max drops, and endurance performance is impaired. A strategy is acclimatisation: arriving two to three weeks early so the body adapts (producing more red blood cells via erythropoietin, raising haemoglobin and oxygen-carrying capacity), or using "live high, train low" so the athlete gains the haematological adaptations of altitude while still training at intensity nearer sea level.
A common dropped mark is saying there is less oxygen in the air; the percentage is the same, it is the partial pressure that falls.
Eduqas 20226 marksA tennis match is played in hot, humid conditions. Explain how the body attempts to regulate its temperature, and how heat and humidity impair performance. Suggest two coping strategies.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 thermoregulation question. Markers reward the mechanism, the impairment and two strategies.
Award marks for: the body loses heat mainly by sweating (evaporation), plus vasodilation of skin blood vessels (radiation) to bring warm blood to the surface. In high humidity, sweat cannot evaporate effectively, so this main cooling route fails and core temperature rises. The diversion of blood to the skin for cooling competes with the blood needed by the muscles, and heavy sweating reduces plasma volume, causing cardiovascular drift (heart rate rises as stroke volume falls). Performance is impaired by dehydration, a rising core temperature (risking heat exhaustion or heat stroke) and central fatigue. Coping strategies: a planned hydration strategy with fluid and electrolytes before, during and after; acclimatisation to heat over one to two weeks; plus cooling aids (ice vests, cold drinks), light breathable clothing and timing play for cooler parts of the day.
A top answer explains why humidity is the key problem (it blocks evaporation) and links falling plasma volume to cardiovascular drift.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas A Level Physical Education Specification — Eduqas (2016)