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Northern IrelandSports Science

A2 2: The Application of Science to Sports Performance

8 dot points across 8 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

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.
A focused CCEA A2 Sports Science answer on biomechanics, covering 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 sporting 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.
A focused CCEA A2 Sports Science answer on energy systems and recovery, covering the role of ATP, the three energy systems and the activities each fuels, the by-products and duration of each, 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.
A focused CCEA A2 Sports Science answer on sports psychology, covering intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, arousal and its effect on performance, the drive and inverted-U theories, anxiety and stress management, and goal setting.
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.
A focused CCEA A2 Sports Science answer on skill acquisition, covering the classification of skills, the stages of learning, the information processing model and memory, types of practice and guidance, and the role of feedback.
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.
A focused CCEA A2 Sports Science answer on the cardiovascular system, covering the structure of the heart and blood vessels, the pathway of blood, cardiac output and its components, the responses to exercise, and the long-term 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.
A focused CCEA A2 Sports Science answer on the muscular system, covering the types of muscle, antagonistic pairs and types of contraction, slow and fast twitch fibre types and their suitability for different sports, 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.
A focused CCEA A2 Sports Science answer on the respiratory system, covering its structure, the mechanics of breathing, gas exchange at the alveoli, lung volumes such as tidal volume and minute ventilation, and the 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.
A focused CCEA A2 Sports Science answer on the skeletal system, covering its structure and functions, the classification of bones and joints, the movements possible at synovial joints, and the effects of exercise on bones and joints.
9 min answer →