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Maharashtra SSC Physical Activity Facilitator Pre-Voc/NSQF study materials
Maharashtra SSC Physical Activity Facilitator Pre-Voc/NSQF study resources

Maharashtra SSC Physical Activity Facilitator Pre-Voc/NSQF practice questions

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Question 1Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

In the study of fitness and well-being, what does the term 'physical activity' mean?

  1. The ability to carry out daily tasks without undue fatigue
  2. Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that uses energy Correct answer.
  3. A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being
  4. A planned, structured and repetitive movement performed to improve fitness

Explanation

Physical activity is a broad term for any movement of the body produced by skeletal muscles that raises energy use above resting level, including walking, chores and play. Exercise is a narrower subset that is planned and structured. The other options describe exercise, physical fitness and well-being rather than all physical activity.

Question 2Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

Which health-related fitness component is best described as the ability of the heart, blood vessels and lungs to supply oxygen to working muscles during sustained activity?

  1. Body composition
  2. Cardiovascular endurance Correct answer.
  3. Muscular strength
  4. Flexibility

Explanation

Cardiovascular endurance, also called cardiorespiratory endurance, depends on how efficiently the heart, lungs and blood vessels deliver oxygen during prolonged activity such as jogging or cycling. Muscular strength concerns the force a muscle can produce, flexibility concerns range of motion, and body composition concerns the proportions of fat and lean mass.

Question 3Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

Which skill-related fitness component allows a student to change body position or direction quickly while maintaining control?

  1. Balance
  2. Reaction time
  3. Agility Correct answer.
  4. Coordination

Explanation

Agility is the ability to change direction or body position rapidly and accurately, as when dodging an opponent in kabaddi. Balance is about maintaining equilibrium, reaction time is the speed of responding to a stimulus, and coordination is the smooth working together of body parts.

Question 4Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A student currently walks briskly for 20 minutes, three days a week. Which change best applies the principle of progressive overload for a beginner?

  1. Keep the same 20 minutes at the same pace each week
  2. Replace walking with all-out sprinting in every session
  3. Add five minutes after two comfortable weeks Correct answer.
  4. Increase immediately to 60 minutes every single day

Explanation

Progressive overload means gradually increasing the demand on the body so that it adapts without excessive strain. For a beginner, adding a small amount of duration after the current level feels comfortable is an appropriate progression. Sudden large increases or all-out sprinting raise the risk of injury and dropout.

Question 5Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

During a brisk walk, a student can hold a conversation but cannot sing. This indicates that the activity is at which intensity?

  1. Moderate intensity Correct answer.
  2. Vigorous intensity
  3. Low intensity
  4. Maximal intensity

Explanation

The talk test is a practical field method for judging intensity: being able to talk but not sing corresponds to moderate intensity, where breathing and heart rate rise noticeably. Vigorous activity usually makes speaking in full sentences difficult, while low intensity allows singing. Maximal intensity cannot be sustained for long.

Question 6Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

What is the main purpose of a warm-up before a physical activity session?

  1. To bring the heart rate down to resting level before exercise
  2. To raise muscle temperature and prepare joints for movement Correct answer.
  3. To replace the main conditioning part of the whole session
  4. To exhaust the muscles completely so that they work harder later

Explanation

A warm-up gradually increases heart rate, blood flow and muscle temperature and moves joints through their range, which prepares the body for the main activity and lowers injury risk. It should be brief and progressive, not exhausting. It does not replace the conditioning phase.

Question 7Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A student sits in class for six hours and then watches television for three hours at home. Which statement best describes the main health concern?

  1. Prolonged sitting is sedentary behaviour and should be broken up Correct answer.
  2. The student is already meeting the daily activity recommendation
  3. Sitting is harmful only when it happens during school hours and not at home
  4. Watching television counts as moderate-intensity physical activity

Explanation

Sedentary behaviour refers to long periods of low-energy sitting, such as sitting in class or watching screens, and it is a health risk even if a person does some exercise. Breaking up sitting with short movement breaks improves circulation and energy use. Television viewing is not moderate activity.

Question 8Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A 15-year-old wants to exercise at 60–80% of maximum heart rate. Using the simple estimate maximum heart rate = 220 − age, which range is correct?

  1. 102–136 beats per minute
  2. 110–150 beats per minute
  3. 140–180 beats per minute
  4. 123–164 beats per minute Correct answer.

Explanation

Estimated maximum heart rate is 220 − 15 = 205 beats per minute. Taking 60% gives about 123 bpm and 80% gives about 164 bpm, so the target range is 123–164 bpm. The other ranges do not match these calculations.

Question 9Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A badminton player wants to improve smash power. Which training choice best applies the principle of specificity?

  1. Do only slow static stretching of the arms
  2. Practise explosive overhead hitting similar to a smash Correct answer.
  3. Run long distances to build general endurance
  4. Swim steadily for 45 minutes each day

Explanation

The principle of specificity states that training adaptations are specific to the type of demand placed on the body. Smash power requires explosive, sport-specific overhead movement, so practice close to that action is most relevant. General endurance or stretching may support fitness but do not directly train smash power.

Question 10Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A muscular 16-year-old athlete has a BMI that falls in the 'overweight' category. Which explanation is most accurate?

  1. BMI cannot separate muscle from fat, so athletes may be misclassified Correct answer.
  2. The athlete must have excess body fat because BMI says overweight
  3. BMI always measures body fat directly and with very high accuracy in everyone
  4. BMI is useless for every adult and should never be used

Explanation

BMI is calculated from height and weight and does not measure body composition directly. A muscular athlete can have a high BMI while carrying little fat, so the result may be misclassified as overweight. BMI is still a useful screening tool at population level, but it needs interpretation alongside other measures.

Question 11Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

Which term refers to a person's ability to carry out daily tasks with vigour and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with enough energy left for leisure and emergencies?

  1. Physical fitness Correct answer.
  2. Physical activity
  3. Exercise
  4. Wellness

Explanation

Physical fitness is the set of attributes, such as cardiorespiratory endurance, strength and flexibility, that lets a person meet daily demands energetically and still keep reserve energy for leisure and unexpected needs. Physical activity is the bodily movement itself, and exercise is a planned, structured subset of that movement, so neither one names the capacity itself.

Question 12Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

Which dimension of wellness is mainly developed when a student builds supportive friendships and works cooperatively with teammates during a game?

  1. Social wellness Correct answer.
  2. Occupational wellness
  3. Physical wellness
  4. Emotional wellness

Explanation

Social wellness describes the ability to build and maintain positive relationships, communicate effectively and contribute to a group or community, which cooperative team games directly practise. Emotional wellness concerns recognising and managing feelings, physical wellness concerns body health, and occupational wellness concerns satisfaction in work or study roles.

Question 13Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A student finishes a fast-paced handball match. Why is a cool-down of light jogging and gentle stretching recommended immediately afterwards?

  1. It removes the need for a warm-up before the next training session.
  2. It lowers heart rate and breathing gradually and reduces stiffness. Correct answer.
  3. It raises the heart rate further so that the body adapts more quickly.
  4. It builds muscle mass faster than the match itself does.

Explanation

A cool-down keeps blood moving and lets heart rate, breathing rate and body temperature come down gradually, which reduces dizziness and blood pooling that can follow a sudden stop. Gentle stretching while the muscles are still warm also helps limit stiffness and soreness in the hours after the session.

Question 14Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

In the FITT principle used to plan an activity programme, which pairing of component and meaning is correct?

  1. Type - the mode of activity, such as walking or swimming Correct answer.
  2. Frequency - the number of minutes each session lasts
  3. Time - how often the activity is done each week
  4. Intensity - the kind of activity chosen

Explanation

FITT stands for Frequency (how often the activity is performed), Intensity (how hard the effort is), Time (how long each session lasts) and Type (the mode of activity, such as walking, cycling or swimming). The other options shuffle these meanings, which would produce a plan that cannot be applied accurately.

Question 15Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A 100-metre sprint is completed in about 14 seconds. Which description of the main energy supply during this effort is correct?

  1. Anaerobic, because the effort lasts long enough for fat to be the main fuel
  2. Anaerobic, because brief intense effort exceeds the oxygen supply Correct answer.
  3. Aerobic, because oxygen supply always matches demand in short efforts
  4. Aerobic, because the runner keeps breathing throughout the race

Explanation

Very short, very intense efforts such as a sprint rely on anaerobic energy release because the heart and lungs cannot deliver oxygen to the muscles fast enough to meet demand. Aerobic metabolism dominates in longer, moderate activities where oxygen supply can keep pace with the muscles' needs.

Question 16Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A student stopped all training for three months during examinations and found that his stamina and strength had clearly dropped. Which training principle explains this observation?

  1. Progression
  2. Reversibility Correct answer.
  3. Specificity
  4. Overload

Explanation

The principle of reversibility, also called detraining, states that fitness gains are gradually lost when training stops or the training stimulus is reduced below the level that produced the gains. Overload, specificity and progression all describe how training must be arranged to make further gains, not what happens when training ceases.

Question 17Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A facilitator wants a simple field measure of lower-back and hamstring flexibility for a school class. Which test is most appropriate?

  1. Sit-and-reach test Correct answer.
  2. One-minute push-up test
  3. Body mass index calculation
  4. 20-metre shuttle run test

Explanation

The sit-and-reach test records how far a student can reach forward from a seated position with straight legs, which indicates flexibility of the lower back and hamstrings. The other measures assess different fitness components and would not indicate flexibility.

Question 18Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A student trains for an hour every day but sleeps about five hours a night, skips breakfast and feels anxious before examinations. Which conclusion best reflects a wellness approach to health?

  1. Sleep and diet matter only for athletes who compete at state level.
  2. Anxiety before examinations shows that the student is training too little.
  3. Daily training guarantees well-being, so the other habits can be ignored.
  4. Well-being also needs sleep, good nutrition and emotional balance. Correct answer.

Explanation

Wellness is multidimensional, so physical activity contributes to only one part of it while sleep, nutrition, stress management and emotional health also shape how a person feels and functions. Strong training habits cannot compensate for chronic sleep loss, skipped meals or unmanaged examination stress.

Question 19Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A coach includes two easy days each week in a strength programme. Which explanation best justifies the rest days from a training point of view?

  1. Rest days raise the total number of sessions each week.
  2. Rest days remove the need for a warm-up before each training session.
  3. Repair and adaptation happen during recovery, so rest days are needed. Correct answer.
  4. Rest days burn more calories than training days do.

Explanation

Hard training creates fatigue and small amounts of tissue damage, and the body repairs and adapts to the load during recovery, so planned easier days are part of the programme rather than a break from it. Without adequate recovery, performance stagnates and the risk of overuse injury and illness rises.

Question 20Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

Which statement correctly distinguishes health-related from skill-related fitness components?

  1. Health-related components matter only for athletes, while skill-related components matter for everyone.
  2. Health-related components protect health and lower disease risk; skill-related ones aid sports performance. Correct answer.
  3. Skill-related components reduce the risk of lifestyle diseases, while health-related components improve sports performance.
  4. Both groups of components can be improved only through high-intensity sprint training.

Explanation

Health-related components such as cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and body composition are linked with good health and a lower risk of lifestyle diseases. Skill-related components such as speed, agility, balance, coordination, power and reaction time chiefly influence performance in sport and games.

Question 21Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

In a physical activity and fitness programme, which description best defines exercise?

  1. Planned, structured, repetitive movement aimed at improving fitness Correct answer.
  2. The greatest force a muscle can produce in a single contraction
  3. A short burst of maximal effort that is never repeated in a session
  4. Any skeletal-muscle movement that raises energy use above resting level

Explanation

Exercise is a subset of physical activity: it is planned, structured, repetitive and performed to improve or maintain fitness. Physical activity is broader and includes any skeletal-muscle movement that raises energy expenditure. A single maximal burst describes a sprint or test effort, not exercise as a category.

Question 22Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A facilitator uses MET values to classify activity intensity. Which activity is moderate-intensity for a healthy adolescent?

  1. Running fast (about 10 METs)
  2. Sleeping quietly (about 0.9 MET)
  3. Brisk walking (about 4 METs) Correct answer.
  4. Sitting and watching television (about 1.3 METs)

Explanation

Moderate-intensity activity is generally 3.0 to 5.9 METs, so brisk walking at about 4 METs fits this range. Sleeping and sitting are light activities below 3 METs, while running at about 10 METs is vigorous.

Question 23Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

A student walks 2 km to school each morning, sweeps the floor at home after class, and plays kho-kho with friends in the evening. Which list correctly names the physical activity domains of these three actions?

  1. Leisure, occupational, transport
  2. Domestic, transport, occupational
  3. Occupational, leisure, domestic
  4. Transport, domestic, leisure Correct answer.

Explanation

Walking to school is active transport; sweeping at home is a domestic chore; and playing kho-kho in free time is leisure activity. These labels describe the purpose or setting in which the movement occurs.

Question 24Introduction to physical activity, fitness and well-being

After 12 weeks of regular aerobic training, a 16-year-old's resting heart rate falls from 78 to 64 beats per minute. Which adaptation best explains this change?

  1. Red blood cell count has dropped, thinning the blood.
  2. A larger stroke volume means fewer beats are needed at rest. Correct answer.
  3. Maximal heart rate has risen by about 14 beats per minute.
  4. Blood volume has fallen, so the heart works less at rest.

Explanation

Regular aerobic training enlarges the heart's stroke volume, so each beat delivers more blood and resting heart rate falls. Increased parasympathetic tone also contributes. Maximal heart rate does not rise with training, and blood volume usually increases rather than falls.

Question 25Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

In the human skeleton, the knee joint is best described as which type of joint?

  1. Ball-and-socket joint
  2. Hinge joint Correct answer.
  3. Pivot joint
  4. Saddle joint

Explanation

The knee is a hinge-type synovial joint because its main movements are flexion and extension in one plane, like a door swinging on its hinges. Ball-and-socket joints such as the hip and shoulder allow movement in many planes, pivot joints allow rotation, and the saddle joint is found at the base of the thumb. A physical activity facilitator should know joint type because it decides which movements are safe and which must be avoided during a session.

Question 26Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

Bones act as a store for a mineral that is released into the blood when dietary intake is low. Which mineral is this?

  1. Calcium Correct answer.
  2. Vitamin C
  3. Iodine
  4. Iron

Explanation

Bone tissue holds about 99 per cent of the body's calcium, and hormones can release some of this calcium into the blood when intake or absorption falls. This is why bone health and adequate calcium intake matter for a physically active school student. Iron is stored mainly in the liver, iodine is used by the thyroid gland, and vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin rather than a bone mineral.

Question 27Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

Which muscle tissue forms the walls of the stomach and of blood vessels and works without conscious control?

  1. Smooth muscle Correct answer.
  2. Cardiac muscle
  3. Tendon tissue
  4. Skeletal muscle

Explanation

Smooth muscle lines the walls of hollow organs such as the stomach, intestines and blood vessels and is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, so it works involuntarily. Skeletal muscle is attached to bones and moved by conscious nerve signals, while cardiac muscle is found only in the heart wall. Tendons are connective tissue that join muscle to bone and do not contract.

Question 28Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

A 40-year-old participant uses the common age-based formula for maximum heart rate (220 minus age). What is the estimated maximum heart rate?

  1. 220 beats per minute
  2. 200 beats per minute
  3. 180 beats per minute Correct answer.
  4. 160 beats per minute

Explanation

The estimate is obtained by subtracting the person's age in years from 220, so 220 minus 40 gives 180 beats per minute. This figure is only a population average and individual values may differ by several beats. A facilitator uses it to set sensible training intensities, for example 60 to 70 per cent of that value for moderate work.

Question 29Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

During moderate aerobic activity, which change in breathing is normally seen in a healthy student?

  1. Breathing rate falls while depth increases greatly
  2. Both breathing rate and depth stay at resting values
  3. Both breathing rate and breathing depth increase Correct answer.
  4. Breathing rate increases but depth falls below the resting level

Explanation

Working muscles need more oxygen and produce more carbon dioxide, so the respiratory centre raises both the number of breaths per minute and the volume of air moved per breath. The combined effect, called minute ventilation, can rise many times above rest. A facilitator watching a participant breathe can use these signs to judge whether the activity intensity is moderate and sustainable.

Question 30Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

Which substance accumulates in muscle during very vigorous activity when oxygen supply cannot fully meet demand, and contributes to the burning feeling and early fatigue?

  1. Lactic acid Correct answer.
  2. Carbon dioxide
  3. Glucose
  4. Glycogen

Explanation

When oxygen is short, pyruvate from glycolysis cannot enter the mitochondria and is converted to lactic acid instead. Its build-up lowers muscle pH and interferes with contraction, which is linked to the burning sensation and reduced performance. After the activity, when oxygen is available again, lactic acid is removed and reconverted, so the discomfort settles with rest.

Question 31Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

What is the main physiological benefit of leading a general warm-up before the main activity?

  1. It lowers body temperature so that the muscles can work harder
  2. It gradually raises muscle temperature and increases blood flow to the muscles Correct answer.
  3. It keeps the heart rate low so that energy is saved for the activity
  4. It reduces blood flow to the working muscles to prevent swelling

Explanation

A warm-up raises muscle temperature and increases blood flow, which speeds up enzyme activity and makes muscle contraction more efficient and more supple. It also gives the heart and lungs time to adjust gradually, lowering the strain of a sudden intense effort. This is why a facilitator should begin every session with light whole-body movement and joint mobility work.

Question 32Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

During prolonged exercise in hot weather, which process is the main route by which the body loses heat?

  1. A reduction of blood flow to the skin
  2. Evaporation of sweat from the skin surface Correct answer.
  3. Shivering of the skeletal muscles
  4. A fall in heart rate below the resting value

Explanation

Sweat glands release fluid onto the skin, and as this fluid evaporates it takes heat away from the body surface, which is the main cooling route during exercise in heat. At the same time, blood vessels in the skin widen so that more warm blood reaches the surface and heat can be lost. A facilitator should therefore plan water breaks and avoid very hot, humid times when evaporation becomes less effective.

Question 33Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

According to the sliding filament mechanism, what happens inside a sarcomere when a muscle fibre contracts?

  1. The sarcomere lengthens as the Z-lines move further apart
  2. Actin filaments slide over myosin filaments and the sarcomere shortens Correct answer.
  3. Actin and myosin filaments dissolve and are rebuilt in a shorter form
  4. Myosin filaments shorten in length while actin filaments keep their length

Explanation

In the sliding filament model, myosin heads attach to actin, pull, release and re-attach in repeated cycles, so the thin actin filaments slide past the thick myosin filaments. The filaments themselves keep their length; what shortens is the sarcomere, because the Z-lines are drawn closer together. Many sarcomeres shortening in series produce the shortening of the whole muscle and the movement of the joint.

Question 34Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

A trainee at rest has a heart rate of 70 beats per minute and a stroke volume of 70 mL. During exercise the heart rate rises to 140 beats per minute and stroke volume to 100 mL. What is the cardiac output during exercise?

  1. 24 litres per minute
  2. 4.9 litres per minute
  3. 7.0 litres per minute
  4. 14 litres per minute Correct answer.

Explanation

Cardiac output equals heart rate multiplied by stroke volume, so 140 beats per minute times 100 mL per beat gives 14,000 mL per minute, which is 14 litres per minute. The resting value in the same trainee is 70 times 70, that is 4,900 mL or 4.9 litres per minute. The rise shows how the heart delivers far more oxygen to working muscles during activity.

Question 35Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

At the shoulder, the arm can swing in a full circle because the head of the humerus fits into a cup-shaped socket. Which type of joint is this?

  1. Pivot joint
  2. Gliding joint
  3. Hinge joint
  4. Ball-and-socket joint Correct answer.

Explanation

Ball-and-socket joints have a rounded head that fits into a cup-shaped cavity, allowing movement in all planes, including flexion, extension, abduction and rotation. Hinge joints allow movement in one plane only, pivot joints allow rotation around one axis, and gliding joints allow only small sliding movements.

Question 36Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

During exercise, oxygen moves from the lungs into the blood. In which structure does this gas exchange mainly occur?

  1. In the larynx
  2. In the trachea
  3. In the alveoli Correct answer.
  4. In the bronchi

Explanation

Gas exchange takes place in the alveoli, which are tiny air sacs with very thin walls and a dense capillary network. Oxygen diffuses from alveolar air into the blood, while carbon dioxide diffuses from blood into the alveoli to be breathed out. The trachea, bronchi and larynx are conducting airways and do not carry out gas exchange.

Question 37Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

Which is the main function of red blood cells during physical activity?

  1. To produce digestive enzymes
  2. To clot blood at injury sites
  3. To carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles Correct answer.
  4. To defend the body against infection

Explanation

Red blood cells contain haemoglobin, which binds oxygen in the lungs and releases it to working muscles. This makes them the main oxygen carriers during exercise. Clotting is the role of platelets, defence against infection is the role of white blood cells, and digestive enzymes are produced by glands such as the pancreas.

Question 38Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

A participant holds a push-up position with arms straight and body still for 20 seconds. Which type of muscle contraction are the arm and core muscles mainly performing?

  1. Isokinetic contraction
  2. Isotonic eccentric contraction
  3. Isotonic concentric contraction
  4. Isometric contraction Correct answer.

Explanation

An isometric contraction produces tension while the muscle length stays the same, which is what happens when a position such as a push-up hold is maintained. A concentric contraction shortens the muscle, an eccentric contraction lengthens it under tension, and isokinetic contractions occur at a constant speed with specialised equipment.

Question 39Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

During moderate aerobic exercise, blood flow to the active muscles increases. Which change in the arterioles of these muscles mainly causes this increase?

  1. Vasoconstriction of arterioles in the active muscles
  2. Vasodilation of arterioles in the active muscles Correct answer.
  3. A fall in cardiac output
  4. An increase in blood viscosity

Explanation

Working muscles produce metabolites that cause local arterioles to dilate, lowering resistance and increasing blood flow to the active tissue. At the same time, vessels supplying less active organs constrict, helping to redirect blood. Vasoconstriction would reduce muscle flow, cardiac output rises rather than falls during exercise, and blood viscosity does not change acutely.

Question 40Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

Which change is a typical long-term adaptation to regular aerobic training?

  1. Resting heart rate becomes higher
  2. The heart becomes smaller in size
  3. Stroke volume at rest becomes smaller
  4. Resting heart rate becomes lower Correct answer.

Explanation

Regular aerobic training increases stroke volume and parasympathetic tone, so the resting heart rate falls, a response called bradycardia. The heart muscle also enlarges and its stroke volume at rest and during exercise increases. A higher resting heart rate, a smaller stroke volume or a smaller heart would indicate detraining rather than an aerobic training effect.

Question 41Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

Which muscle fibre type is best suited for prolonged endurance work such as long-distance cycling?

  1. Smooth muscle fibres
  2. Slow-twitch type I fibres Correct answer.
  3. Fast-twitch type IIx fibres
  4. Fast-twitch type IIa fibres

Explanation

Slow-twitch type I fibres contain many mitochondria, a high concentration of myoglobin and a rich capillary supply, so they produce energy aerobically and resist fatigue during prolonged work. Type IIx fibres are fast but fatigue quickly, type IIa fibres are intermediate, and smooth muscle is not part of voluntary skeletal movement.

Question 42Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

During a bout of dynamic exercise such as brisk walking, what is the usual blood pressure response?

  1. Systolic pressure rises and diastolic pressure changes only slightly Correct answer.
  2. Both systolic and diastolic pressures remain exactly at resting values
  3. Both systolic and diastolic pressures fall below resting values
  4. Systolic pressure falls and diastolic pressure rises sharply

Explanation

During dynamic exercise, cardiac output rises and systolic blood pressure therefore increases, while diastolic pressure remains stable or changes only slightly because arterioles in active muscles dilate. A sharp fall in systolic pressure or a large rise in diastolic pressure would be unusual and should prompt caution. Pressures do not stay exactly at resting values during brisk walking.

Question 43Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

A participant exercising in hot weather stops sweating, has hot dry skin, and becomes confused. What is the most likely condition?

  1. Heat exhaustion
  2. Heat cramps
  3. Heat stroke Correct answer.
  4. Normal acclimatisation

Explanation

Heat stroke is a medical emergency in which thermoregulation fails, producing hot dry skin, confusion and a very high body temperature. Heat cramps are painful muscle spasms with sweating, heat exhaustion involves heavy sweating, weakness and dizziness, and acclimatisation is a gradual adaptive process rather than an acute illness.

Question 44Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

Which sequence correctly traces the path of blood from the body back to the lungs?

  1. Left atrium → left ventricle → aorta → lungs
  2. Right atrium → right ventricle → pulmonary artery → lungs Correct answer.
  3. Right ventricle → right atrium → pulmonary vein → lungs
  4. Left ventricle → left atrium → pulmonary artery → lungs

Explanation

Deoxygenated blood returns from the body to the right atrium, passes into the right ventricle, and is pumped through the pulmonary artery to the lungs. The left atrium and left ventricle receive oxygenated blood from the pulmonary veins and pump it to the body through the aorta, so the other sequences mix the correct chambers and vessels.

Question 45Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

A coach explains how a skeletal muscle transmits force to a bone. Which structure attaches the muscle to the bone?

  1. Tendon Correct answer.
  2. Cartilage
  3. Bursa
  4. Ligament

Explanation

A tendon is dense connective tissue that attaches skeletal muscle to bone and carries the muscle's pulling force to the skeleton. Ligaments join bone to bone, cartilage covers joint surfaces, and bursae reduce friction.

Question 46Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

Which heart chamber pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta to be distributed around the body?

  1. Left ventricle Correct answer.
  2. Right atrium
  3. Left atrium
  4. Right ventricle

Explanation

The left ventricle receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium and contracts powerfully to eject it into the aorta. The right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs, while the atria receive blood returning to the heart.

Question 47Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

During a biceps curl, the elbow flexes. Which muscle acts as the prime mover (agonist) for this action?

  1. Triceps brachii
  2. Biceps brachii Correct answer.
  3. Deltoid
  4. Pectoralis major

Explanation

The biceps brachii crosses the front of the elbow and contracts to flex it, making it the prime mover in a curl. The triceps extends the elbow and acts as the antagonist, while the deltoid and pectoralis major move the shoulder.

Question 48Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

Which muscle is the main driver of quiet inspiration at rest?

  1. Diaphragm Correct answer.
  2. Rectus abdominis
  3. Internal intercostals
  4. Sternocleidomastoid

Explanation

The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that contracts and flattens during quiet inspiration, lowering thoracic pressure so air enters the lungs. Abdominal and internal intercostal muscles are mainly used in forced expiration, and accessory neck muscles help only in laboured breathing.

Question 49Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

During exercise, heart rate and blood pressure rise. Which division of the nervous system produces these changes?

  1. Somatic nervous system
  2. Parasympathetic nervous system
  3. Sympathetic nervous system Correct answer.
  4. Enteric nervous system

Explanation

The sympathetic division releases noradrenaline and adrenaline, which increase heart rate, contractility and vasoconstriction to raise blood pressure during exercise. The parasympathetic division slows the heart at rest, while the somatic system controls voluntary skeletal muscle.

Question 50Anatomy, physiology and exercise response

For a long walk at low intensity, which fuel provides the largest share of the energy used by working muscles?

  1. Muscle glycogen
  2. Creatine phosphate
  3. Protein
  4. Fat Correct answer.

Explanation

At low intensity with adequate oxygen, fat oxidation supplies most of the energy for prolonged activity because fat stores are large and yield much energy per gram. Carbohydrate becomes more important as intensity rises, and creatine phosphate supports only very brief maximal efforts.