Edexcel GCSE Physical Education key terms

A joint where the rounded head of one bone fits into a cup-shaped socket in another, allowing movement in several directions and rotation.

A display in which separate bars represent numerical values for different categories.

An obstacle that makes taking part in physical activity or sport more difficult.

An initial measurement used as a starting point for comparing later results.

An initial measurement used as a starting point for later comparisons.

A straightforward skill requiring relatively little thought or decision-making.

A drug that reduces the effects of adrenaline, lowering heart rate and helping to reduce anxiety and improve steadiness.

The valve between the left atrium and left ventricle that prevents blood flowing back into the left atrium.

A banned method of increasing red blood cells through a blood transfusion to improve oxygen transport and endurance.

The pressure exerted by blood against the walls of blood vessels.

The proportions of fat and non-fat tissues, such as muscle and bone, in the body.

The amount of mineral contained in a given volume of bone. Increased bone density makes bones stronger.

Soft tissue inside bones; red bone marrow produces red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

The size and build of a person's skeletal frame.

The number of breaths taken per minute, also called breathing frequency.

Permission purchased by a broadcaster to show a sporting event on television or another broadcasting platform.

A small airway branching from a bronchus within a lung, carrying air towards the alveoli.

Inflammation of the bronchi, the airways carrying air into the lungs, which can cause coughing and breathing difficulties.

One of the two main air passages leading from the trachea into a lung. The plural is bronchi.

A unit of energy. Food energy is commonly given in kilocalories (kcal), often called Calories.

The formation of additional capillaries, increasing the blood supply and opportunities for exchange around tissues.

A tiny blood vessel with a wall only one cell thick, allowing substances to move between blood and surrounding tissues.

A nutrient that provides the body’s main, preferred energy source for exercise.

A strategy in which an endurance athlete increases carbohydrate intake and reduces training before an event to increase glycogen stores.

An increase in the size of the heart muscle through training, enabling stronger contractions.

Muscle found only in the heart wall that contracts automatically to pump blood around the body.

The volume of blood pumped out of the heart per minute. It equals heart rate multiplied by stroke volume.