State the general characteristic common to muscle tissue that allows the muscle to stretch and return to its original resting length.

Describe the functions of ligaments and tendons in a joint such as the knee joint.

Distinguish between maximal oxygen consumption during cycling and arm ergometry.

Describe the process of oxygen exchange between the lungs and pulmonary capillaries at rest.

Distinguish how cardiac output, stroke volume and resting heart rate would differ between trained and untrained women during exercise.

elasticity ✔

tendons connect muscles to bones ✔

ligaments connect bones to bones ✔

ligaments/ tendons stabilize joints ✔

tendons enable flexion and/ or extension of the joint✔

1 max for ligaments or tendons

cycling produces higher maximal oxygen consumption/VO₂max values than arm ergometry ✔

Accept in the converse.

Gases/O₂ move from a high to low partial pressure / concentration gradient✔

Oxygen partial pressure is higher in the lungs than in the capillary
OR
oxygen/O₂ moves from the lungs/alveoli to the pulmonary capillaries ✔

Gases/O₂ diffuse across the membranes / into blood✔

The capillary and alveoli walls are 1 cell thick <which assists in the high rate of diffusion>✔

A large surface area increases diffusion rate✔

the amount and rate of gas exchange that occurs across the membrane depends on the partial pressure of O₂, the thickness of the wall and the surface area <which is Fick’s Law>✔

<98 %> oxygen combines with hemoglobin <to form oxyhemoglobin>✔

(a), (b) and (c) were all generally well understood and appeared straight forward.

Generally well understood and appeared straight forward.

Generally well understood and appeared straight forward.

The process of oxygen exchange was not always clear. Some candidates would discuss CO₂, while many others outlined the pathway of oxygen into the blood from the mouth. This indicates that students are not reading the question carefully.

Candidates managed (e) on cardiac output, stroke volume and heartrate very well.