Cardiovascular, Respiratory & Exercise Physiology Review

20 vocabulary flashcards summarizing heart blood flow, pulmonary structures, biomechanics terms, muscle contraction types, anaerobic training, and the three energy systems, their fuels, duration, and fatigue factors.

Right Atrium

The heart chamber that first receives deoxygenated blood returning from the body via the vena cavae.

Pulmonary Circulation

The pathway in which blood travels from the right side of the heart to the lungs for gas exchange and back to the left atrium.

External Gas Exchange

The diffusion of oxygen into, and carbon dioxide out of, the blood within the alveoli of the lungs.

Aorta

The largest artery in the body; carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to systemic circulation.

Base of Support

The area beneath an athlete that includes every point of contact with the supporting surface; a wider base generally improves balance.

Balance (Sports Performance)

The ability to maintain the body’s center of mass over its base of support, crucial for stability and control in movement.

Muscle Contraction

The process in which muscle fibers generate tension, producing movement or maintaining posture.

Isometric Contraction

A muscle contraction in which tension develops but the muscle length remains unchanged, e.g., a plank hold.

Concentric Contraction

A muscle action where the muscle shortens while producing force, e.g., upward phase of a biceps curl.

Eccentric Contraction

A muscle action where the muscle lengthens while under tension, e.g., lowering phase of a squat.

Anaerobic Training

Exercise that improves performance of energy systems operating without oxygen, enhancing speed, power and lactate tolerance.

Energy Systems

Physiological mechanisms that resynthesize ATP for muscle contraction: ATP-PC, anaerobic glycolysis, and aerobic pathways.

ATP-PC System

An immediate energy system using phosphocreatine to rapidly regenerate ATP for high-intensity efforts lasting ~0-10 s.

Lactic Acid System

The anaerobic glycolytic pathway that breaks down glucose to produce ATP and lactate for efforts of ~10 s to 2 min.

Aerobic System

The oxygen-dependent pathway that uses carbohydrates and fats to produce large amounts of ATP for activities longer than ~2 min.

Duration (Energy Systems)

The typical time period each energy system can dominate ATP production before fatigue limits performance.

Fuel Source (Energy Systems)

The primary substrate used—PCr for ATP-PC, glucose/glycogen for anaerobic glycolysis, and carbs plus fats for aerobic metabolism.

Cause of Fatigue (Energy Systems)

Key limitation factors: PCr depletion, lactate/H+ accumulation, or glycogen depletion & overheating in the aerobic system.

Pulmonary Artery

The vessel carrying deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.

Pulmonary Vein

The vessel returning oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium.