← Northern Ireland Sports Science
Northern Ireland · CCEASyllabus
Sports Science syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the Northern Ireland Sports Sciencesyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
A2 1: Practical Performance and Event Management
Module overview →A2 2: The Application of Science to Sports Performance
Module overview →- How do the principles of force, motion and levers explain and improve sporting performance?Biomechanics applied to sport: force and Newton's laws of motion, the lever systems of the body, speed, velocity, acceleration and power, and how these principles are applied to improve performance.9 min answer →
- Where does the energy for muscle contraction come from, and which energy system powers which activity?The role of ATP in muscle contraction, the three energy systems (the ATP-PC, glycolytic and aerobic systems), the activities each one fuels, and the process of recovery after exercise.9 min answer →
- What drives a performer, and how do arousal and anxiety affect performance?Sports psychology: types of motivation, arousal and its effect on performance, the theories linking arousal to performance, anxiety and stress management, and goal setting to maintain motivation.9 min answer →
- How are sporting skills learned, and how does the performer process information to act?Skill acquisition: the classification of skills, the stages of learning, information processing and the role of memory, types of practice and guidance, and the role of feedback in developing skill.9 min answer →
- How does the cardiovascular system deliver oxygen to the muscles, and how does it respond and adapt to exercise?The structure of the heart and blood vessels, the pathway of blood, cardiac output and its components, the cardiovascular responses to exercise, and the long-term cardiovascular adaptations to training.9 min answer →
- How do muscles produce movement, and how do the fibre types and contractions suit different sports?The muscular system: types of muscle, the main skeletal muscles, antagonistic muscle pairs and types of contraction, slow and fast twitch muscle fibres, and the effects of exercise on muscle.9 min answer →
- How does the respiratory system take in oxygen and remove carbon dioxide, and how does it respond to exercise?The structure of the respiratory system, the mechanics of breathing, gas exchange at the alveoli, lung volumes including tidal volume and minute ventilation, and the respiratory responses and adaptations to exercise.9 min answer →
- How is the skeleton built to allow movement, and what does exercise do to bones and joints?The structure and functions of the skeletal system, the classification of bones and joints, the movements possible at synovial joints, and the effects of exercise on the skeletal system.9 min answer →
AS 1: Fitness, Training and the Effects of Exercise
Module overview →- What are the components of physical fitness, and why does the demand for each one differ between activities?The health-related and skill-related components of fitness, their definitions, and how the demand for each component varies between different sports and physical activities.9 min answer →
- How does the body respond to a single bout of exercise, and how does it adapt to training over weeks and months?The immediate (acute) responses to exercise, the short-term responses, and the long-term adaptations of the cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular systems to regular training.9 min answer →
- How are common sports injuries prevented, and what is the correct first-aid response when they happen?Common sports injuries and their prevention, the role of warm-up and protective measures, and the principles of first aid, including the primary survey and the management of soft-tissue injuries.8 min answer →
- How do we measure each component of fitness, and what makes a fitness test trustworthy?Recognised fitness tests for the main components of fitness, the importance of validity, reliability and standardised protocols, and how to evaluate and interpret fitness test results.9 min answer →
- Which training methods develop which components of fitness, and what principles make a training programme effective?The main methods of training (continuous, interval, fartlek, circuit, weight, plyometric and flexibility training) and the principles of training (specificity, progressive overload, reversibility, individual differences, the FITT and SPORT principles).9 min answer →
- How does a personal trainer turn a client's goals and test results into a safe, effective training programme?Planning a personalised training programme: collecting client information, setting SMART goals, selecting methods and applying principles, structuring sessions with warm-up and cool-down, and using periodisation to organise training over time.9 min answer →
AS 2: The Active Leisure Industry: Health, Fitness and Lifestyle
Module overview →- What makes a balanced diet, and how should nutrition support physical activity and a healthy weight?The components of a balanced diet and their functions, the concept of energy balance and its link to body weight, and the dietary needs of people taking part in physical activity, including hydration.8 min answer →
- What do health, fitness and wellbeing actually mean, and how are they related to exercise?The definitions of health, fitness, exercise and wellbeing, the relationship between them, the dimensions of wellbeing (physical, social, mental and emotional), and the benefits of an active lifestyle for each dimension.8 min answer →
- How do lifestyle choices cause disease, and how does physical activity reduce the risk?Lifestyle and its effect on health: the risks of a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, excess alcohol and poor diet, the lifestyle diseases linked to them, and how regular physical activity reduces the risk of these conditions.8 min answer →
- How does taking part in activity support social and mental health, and what stops people taking part?The social, mental and emotional benefits of participation in physical activity, the barriers to participation for different groups, and the strategies the active leisure industry uses to widen participation.8 min answer →
- How is the active leisure industry structured, and who provides its facilities and services?The structure and scope of the active leisure industry: the public, private and voluntary sectors, the range of facilities and services, the roles and careers within the industry, and the economic and social importance of the sector.8 min answer →