Applied Anatomy and Physiology

What Applied Anatomy and Physiology covers

Applied Anatomy and Physiology is examined in Paper 1, The human body and movement in physical activity and sport. It covers bones and the functions of the skeleton, joints, joint actions, ligaments and tendons, muscles and antagonistic pairs, the pathway of air and gaseous exchange, blood vessels, the heart, the cardiac cycle and cardiac output, Mechanics of breathing and spirometer traces, aerobic and anaerobic exercise, recovery from exercise and EPOC and short- and long-term effects of exercise.

The 10 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Bones and the functions of the skeletonThe bones at the head, shoulder, chest, elbow, hip, knee and ankle, how long, short and flat bones allow movement and protection, and the six functions of the skeleton.Open →
• Joints, joint actions, ligaments and tendonsSynovial joints and their parts, cartilage, ligaments and tendons, hinge and ball and socket joints, and flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, rotation, circumduction, plantar flexion and dorsiflexion.Open →
• Muscles and antagonistic pairsAgonists and antagonists, the antagonistic pairs at the elbow, knee, hip, ankle and shoulder, and concentric, eccentric and isometric contractions applied to sporting actions.Open →
• The pathway of air and gaseous exchangeThe pathway of air from mouth to alveoli, the features of the alveoli that help gaseous exchange, diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and haemoglobin.Open →
• Blood vesselsThe structure and function of arteries, veins and capillaries, blood pressure, the vessels entering and leaving the heart, and vasodilation and vasoconstriction during exercise.Open →
• The heart, the cardiac cycle and cardiac outputThe chambers of the heart, the pathway of blood, diastole and systole, heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output with worked calculations, and heart rate graphs.Open →
• Mechanics of breathing and spirometer tracesHow the diaphragm, intercostals and rib cage work at rest and in exercise, tidal, inspiratory reserve, expiratory reserve and residual volumes, and reading a spirometer trace.Open →
• Aerobic and anaerobic exerciseAerobic and anaerobic exercise and their word equations, lactic acid, why each can be sustained for longer or shorter, and classifying sporting activities by intensity and duration.Open →
• Recovery from exercise and EPOCEPOC and the oxygen debt, why breathing and heart rate stay raised after exercise, and recovery methods including cool downs, rehydration, carbohydrates, ice baths and massage.Open →
• Short- and long-term effects of exerciseImmediate effects such as sweating and faster breathing, effects hours later including DOMS and cramp, and long-term adaptations such as cardiac hypertrophy and bradycardia.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Applied Anatomy and Physiology further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Tendon vs Ligament

  Tendon: tough tissue attaching a muscle to a bone. Ligament: tough tissue joining one bone to another at a joint.

• Agonist vs Antagonist

  Agonist: the muscle that contracts to cause a movement. Antagonist: the muscle that relaxes to let a movement happen.

• Concentric contraction vs Eccentric contraction

  Concentric contraction: a muscle shortening while under tension. Eccentric contraction: a muscle lengthening while under tension.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   Which bones are found at the head and neck?

   Model answer

   The cranium and the vertebrae are found at the head and neck.

2. 2

   Name the two bones that meet at the shoulder.

   Model answer

   The scapula and the humerus meet at the shoulder.

3. 3

   Which bones form the chest?

   Model answer

   The ribs and the sternum form the chest.

4. 4

   Which three bones meet at the elbow?

   Model answer

   The humerus, the radius and the ulna meet at the elbow.

5. 5

   Which two bones meet at the hip?

   Model answer

   The pelvis and the femur meet at the hip.

6. 6

   Which bones form the knee joint, and where does the patella sit?

   Model answer

   The femur and the tibia form the knee joint. The patella sits at the front of the knee joint.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Applied Anatomy and Physiology revision questions

What does Applied Anatomy and Physiology cover in AQA GCSE Physical Education?

10 subtopics: bones and the functions of the skeleton, joints, joint actions, ligaments and tendons, muscles and antagonistic pairs, the pathway of air and gaseous exchange, blood vessels, the heart, the cardiac cycle and cardiac output, mechanics of breathing and spirometer traces, aerobic and anaerobic exercise, recovery from exercise and epoc and short- and long-term effects of exercise. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Applied Anatomy and Physiology organised?

By the AQA 8582 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.