Biomechanical Principles and Levers | OCR A-Level Physical Education (H555)
Biomechanical Principles and Levers
- 76 questions
- 5 subtopics
- Component 01: Physiological factors affecting performance
- Component 01
Biomechanical Principles and Levers is examined in Component 01, Physiological factors affecting performance.
It covers Newton's laws and force calculations, forces and free body diagrams, centre of mass and stability, levers and mechanical advantage and limb kinematics, force plates and wind tunnels.
Sample questions from Biomechanical Principles and Levers
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
-
Newton's laws and force calculations
Give the equation that links force, mass and acceleration, with units.
Show the answer
Force equals mass multiplied by acceleration, F = ma. Force is in newtons (N), mass in kilograms (kg) and acceleration in m s⁻². -
Newton's laws and force calculations
A 75 kg sprinter accelerates out of the blocks at 4 m s⁻². What net force acts on the sprinter?
Show the answer
The net force is 300 N. Force = 75 kg × 4 m s⁻² = 300 N. -
Forces and free body diagrams
Define friction and state its direction for a running sprinter.
Show the answer
Friction is a force that opposes the slipping or sliding of two surfaces in contact. Friction acts forwards at the sprinter's foot, opposing the backward push of the foot. -
Forces and free body diagrams
How are friction and air resistance shown on a free body diagram of a runner?
Show the answer
Friction is drawn from the foot's point of contact, pointing in the direction of motion. Air resistance is drawn from the centre of mass, opposing motion. -
Centre of mass and stability
Why does the Fosbury flop let a high jumper clear a higher bar?
Show the answer
The jumper arches over the bar so the centre of mass can pass just beneath it. Each body part clears the bar in turn, so less lift is needed. -
Centre of mass and stability
How does body mass affect stability?
Show the answer
A greater mass gives greater inertia, so more force is needed to move the body. Heavier forwards are harder to shift in a scrum. -
Levers and mechanical advantage
How is a second-class lever arranged?
Show the answer
A second-class lever has the load between the fulcrum and the effort. The effort arm is always longer than the load arm. -
Levers and mechanical advantage
Why does a second-class lever have a mechanical advantage?
Show the answer
The effort arm is longer than the load arm, so the mechanical advantage is greater than 1. A large load can be moved with a relatively small effort.
The 5 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Newton's laws and force calculations | Newton's first, second and third laws with a penalty kick, a hockey strike, a sprint start and a swimmer, inertia, F = ma, weight, momentum and worked calculations for a sprinter, a rugby player and a cyclist. | 16 |
| Forces and free body diagrams | Net force, balanced and unbalanced forces, weight, reaction, friction and its factors, sprint spikes and curling, air resistance and headwinds, and free body diagrams of a sprinter accelerating, running steadily and slowing. | 17 |
| Centre of mass and stability | Centre of mass and how it moves, the Fosbury flop, sex differences, stability and the height of the centre of mass, the base of support, line of gravity and body mass, the sprint set position and the goalkeeper's ready position. | 14 |
| Levers and mechanical advantage | The fulcrum, effort, load, effort arm and load arm, first-, second- and third-class levers at the elbow and ankle, mechanical advantage and its equation, a worked ankle calculation, and the trade-offs of each class. | 16 |
| Limb kinematics, force plates and wind tunnels | Limb kinematics and how the data is collected, its use and limitations, force plates for sprint starts, long jumpers and injury risk, and wind tunnels for track cyclists and ski jumpers. | 13 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
-
Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
-
Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
-
Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
OCR A-Level Physical Education Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,133 questions with their answers.