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EnglandPhysical Education

Applied anatomy and physiology (Component 01)

7 dot points across 7 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How does the heart and blood deliver oxygen to working muscles during exercise?

The structure and function of the cardiovascular system, the pathway of blood through the heart, heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output, the role of blood vessels and vascular shunting, and the cardiovascular response to exercise.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 01 on the cardiovascular system: the structure of the heart and the double circulatory system, the blood vessels, heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output (with a calculation), vascular shunting, and the response to exercise.
11 min answer →

What happens to the body during a single workout, and how does it change after months of training?

The short-term effects of exercise on the muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, the long-term training adaptations, and how these effects benefit a performer in physical activity and sport.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 01 on the effects of exercise: the immediate short-term responses (heart rate, breathing, temperature, lactic acid), and the long-term adaptations of training (cardiac hypertrophy, bradycardia, capillarisation, muscle hypertrophy) and how they benefit a performer.
10 min answer →

How do levers in the body let muscles move heavy loads, and which lever is which?

The three classes of lever (first, second and third class), the components of a lever (fulcrum, effort and load), mechanical advantage, and examples of each lever in the body during physical activity.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 01 on lever systems: the fulcrum, effort and load, the three classes of lever with body examples, how to identify a lever class, mechanical advantage, and how to calculate it for the second-class lever.
9 min answer →

Which muscles produce movement in sport, and how do they work in pairs?

The location and role of the major muscle groups, antagonistic muscle pairs, types of muscle contraction, the role of tendons, and how muscles work to produce movement in physical activity and sport.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 01 on the muscular system: the location and function of the major muscle groups, antagonistic muscle pairs (agonist and antagonist), isotonic and isometric contraction, the role of tendons, and how muscles produce movement in sport.
10 min answer →

How do we describe the direction of a movement in three dimensions, and which plane and axis does a somersault use?

The three planes of movement (sagittal, frontal and transverse) and the three axes (transverse, sagittal and longitudinal), and the analysis of sporting movements such as somersaults, cartwheels and full twists using planes and axes.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 01 on planes and axes of movement: the three planes (sagittal, frontal, transverse), the three axes (transverse, sagittal, longitudinal), how plane and axis pair up, and how to analyse somersaults, cartwheels and full twists.
9 min answer →

How does the body get oxygen in and carbon dioxide out, and how does breathing change during exercise?

The structure and function of the respiratory system, the mechanics of breathing, gaseous exchange at the alveoli, lung volumes (tidal volume, vital capacity), and the respiratory response to exercise.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 01 on the respiratory system: the pathway of air, the mechanics of breathing (the diaphragm and intercostal muscles), gaseous exchange at the alveoli, lung volumes including tidal volume and vital capacity, and the response to exercise.
10 min answer →

What does the skeleton do for a performer, and how do bones and joints allow movement?

The functions of the skeleton, the classification of bones, the structure of a synovial joint, the types of joint and the movement they allow, and the role of the skeleton in physical activity and sport.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 01 on the skeletal system: the functions of the skeleton, the major bones, the structure of a synovial joint, the types of synovial joint, the movements they allow, and how the skeleton supports performance in sport.
10 min answer →