Year 11 Sport Science Notes - Unit A & B Review (Vocabulary Flashcards)

A vocabulary-style set of flashcards covering key concepts from Unit A (exercise physiology and nutrition) and Unit B (biomechanics) including nervous system, respiration, cardiovascular, VO2 max, anatomy, joints, muscles, biomechanics, and injury concepts.

Nervous system

Network of neurons that transmits electrical and chemical signals to coordinate all bodily functions.

Endocrine system

Glands that release hormones to regulate activities of distant cells throughout the body.

Central nervous system (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord; integrates information and generates responses.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Nerves outside the CNS; sensory input to and motor output from the CNS.

Somatic nervous system

Part of the PNS that controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles.

Autonomic nervous system (ANS)

Part of the PNS that regulates involuntary functions (heart, glands, smooth muscles).

Parasympathetic division

ANS division responsible for rest and digestion; conserves energy.

Sympathetic division

ANS division responsible for "fight or flight"; increases alertness and energy availability.

Proprioceptors

Sensory receptors in muscles, tendons, joints and inner ear that detect body position and movement.

Muscle spindle

Proprioceptor detecting changes in muscle length to help coordinate movement.

Golgi tendon organ

Proprioceptor monitoring tendon tension to prevent muscle damage.

Joint receptors

Tiny sensors in the stretchy parts (ligaments and capsules) around your joints that tell your brain where your body parts are and how they are moving.

Kinesthetic sense

Awareness of body position and movement in space, aided by proprioceptors.

Reflex regulation

Involuntary responses that help regulate movement and protect from injury.

Diaphragm

Primary muscle of inspiration; contracts to enlarge the thoracic cavity.

External intercostals

Muscles between the ribs that assist inhalation by elevating the rib cage.

Internal intercostals

Muscles between the ribs that assist expiration by depressing rib cage.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs where gas exchange occurs between lungs and blood.

Pulmonary ventilation

Movement of air in and out of the lungs (breathing).

Boyle’s Law

A scientific rule that states if you squeeze a gas into a smaller space, its pressure goes up, and if you give it more space, its pressure goes down (as long as the temperature stays the same).

Total lung capacity (TLC)

Maximum amount of air the lungs can hold after a maximum inhalation.

Vital capacity (VC)

Maximum amount of air that can be exhaled after a maximum inhalation.

Residual volume

Air remaining in the lungs after a forceful exhalation.

Minute ventilation (VE)

Total volume of air breathed in per minute.

Tidal volume

Amount of air moved in and out during normal breathing.

Oxygen diffusion

Movement of O_2 from alveoli into blood across the alveolar-capillary membrane.

Hemoglobin

Protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen; forms oxyhemoglobin when bound to O_2.

Oxyhemoglobin

Hemoglobin bound with oxygen.

Arteries

Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart; usually carry oxygenated blood.

Veins

Blood vessels that carry blood toward the heart; contain valves to prevent backflow.

Capillaries

Thin-walled vessels where nutrient and gas exchange occurs.

Pulmonary circulation

Right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs and back to the left heart.

Systemic circulation

Blood circulation from left heart to tissues and back to right heart.

Cardiac cycle

Sequence of heart chamber filling and pumping (atria to ventricles to lungs/body).

Systolic pressure

Blood pressure during heart contraction.

Diastolic pressure

Blood pressure during heart relaxation.

Sphygmomanometer

Device used to measure blood pressure.

Blood pressure 120/80 mmHg

Ideal resting blood pressure where systolic is 120 and diastolic is 80.

Stroke volume

Volume of blood pumped out of the left ventricle per heartbeat.

Cardiac output

Volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute; CO = stroke \, volume \times heart \, rate.

Fick equation

VO_2 \, max = maximal \, cardiac \, output \times maximal \, arteriovenous \, oxygen \, difference

VO_2 \, max

Maximal rate of oxygen consumption; index of aerobic fitness.

Absolute VO_2 \, max

VO_2 \, max expressed in L/min (not scaled for body size).

Relative VO_2 \, max

VO_2 \, max expressed as ml \cdot kg^{-1} \cdot min^{-1} (normalized to body mass).

Axial skeleton

Skull, vertebral column, thoracic cage; mainly for protection and support.

Appendicular skeleton

Shoulders, pelvis, and limbs; mainly for movement.

Long bones

Bones longer than they are wide (e.g., femur, clavicle).

Short bones

Cube-shaped bones (e.g., carpals, tarsals).

Flat bones

Thin, curved bones for protection and muscle attachment (e.g., skull, sternum).

Irregular bones

Bones of complex shapes (e.g., vertebrae).

Periosteum

Fibrous outer layer covering bone; involved in growth and repair.

Medullary cavity

Central cavity of bone where marrow is stored.

Nutrient foramen

Opening in the diaphysis allowing blood vessels to reach the bone.

Ligaments

Connective tissue that stabilizes joints by connecting bones.

Cartilage

Flexible connective tissue that cushions joints and reduces friction.

Fascia

Dense connective tissue surrounding and separating muscles and other tissues.

Synovial joints

Most movable joints; lined with synovial membrane and fluid.

Articular capsule

Sleeve-like joint envelope that provides stability and containment.

Synovial fluid

Lubricant within the joint reducing friction.

Synovial membrane

Membrane that lines the joint and secretes synovial fluid.

Hyaline cartilage

Cartilage at joint surfaces that cushions and reduces friction.

Bursae

Fluid-filled sacs that reduce friction between tissues.

Meniscus

C-shaped cartilage that cushions and stabilizes some joints.

Joints: Hinge

Joint that flexes/extends in one plane (e.g., elbow).

Joints: Ball-and-socket

Joint allowing movement in multiple planes (e.g., shoulder, hip).

Joints: Pivot

Joint allowing rotation around a single axis (e.g., C1-C2).

Joints: Condyloid

Joint allowing movement in two planes (e.g., radiocarpal).

Joints: Saddle

Joint allowing movement in two planes with one bone concave/convex (e.g., thumb).

Joints: Gliding (plane)

Joint allowing sliding movements between flat surfaces.

Skeletal muscle

Voluntary muscle that attaches to bones and enables movement.

Cardiac muscle

Involuntary muscle of the heart; striated but it contracts rhythmically.

Smooth muscle

Involuntary muscle found in walls of organs and vessels.

Type I fibers

Slow-twitch, highly oxidative, fatigue-resistant muscle fibers.

Type IIa fibers

Fast-twitch, mix of oxidative and glycolytic metabolism; fatigue resistant.

Type IIx fibers

Fast-twitch, high force; fatigue quickly; high glycogen use.

Capillarisation

Increase in capillary density around muscle fibers to improve O_2 delivery.

Myoglobin

Oxygen-binding protein in muscle; stores and transports O_2 in muscle tissue.

Innervation ratio

Number of muscle fibers per motor neuron; higher ratio means more force, lower precision.

Recruitment order

Sequence of motor unit activation from Type I to Type IIx as force increases.

Hypertrophy

Growth in muscle fiber size (and sometimes number, via hyperplasia).

Hyperplasia

Increase in the number of muscle fibers (less common in humans).

Atrophy

Loss of muscle size or mass from disuse or injury.

Isometric contraction

Muscle contracts with no change in length; joint angle unchanged.

Isotonic concentric contraction

Muscle shortens while contracting (lifting phase).

Isotonic eccentric contraction

Muscle lengthens while contracting (lowering phase).

Isokinetic contraction

Muscle contracts at a constant speed using specialized equipment.

Agonist

Prime mover; main muscle producing the movement.

Antagonist

Muscle that opposes the agonist; lengthens during contraction.

Synergist

Muscle that assists the agonist in movement.

Fixator

Muscles that stabilize a joint or body segment during movement.

Reciprocal inhibition

When agonist contracts, antagonist is inhibited to allow smooth movement.

Origin

Attachment site of a muscle to a stationary bone.

Insertion

Attachment site of a muscle to the bone that moves.

Sliding Filament Theory

Process of muscle contraction where actin and myosin filaments slide past each other to shorten sarcomeres.

Actin

Thin filament involved in cross-bridge cycling during contraction.

Myosin

Thick filament with heads that form cross-bridges with actin.

Troponin

Calcium-binding protein that moves tropomyosin to expose actin sites.

Tropomyosin

Protein that blocks actin binding sites until moved by Ca^{2+}-troponin complex.

Cross-bridge

Myosin heads forming link with actin during contraction.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate; energy source for muscle contraction.