AQA · GCSE · Combined Science

    Course version: 8464 · Version from Sept 2018

    Response to exercise: The heart rate, breathing rate and breath volume increase during exercise to supply the muscles with more oxygenated blood.

    During exercise, muscles respire faster and need more oxygen and glucose, while more carbon dioxide must be removed.

    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    During exercise, muscles respire faster and need more oxygen and glucose, while more carbon dioxide must be removed. The heart rate increases so that oxygenated blood is pumped to the muscles more quickly. Breathing rate increases so that oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide leaves it more rapidly. Breath volume also increases, so each breath moves a larger volume of air and gas exchange in the alveoli is greater. Together these changes raise the rate of oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide removal.

    For example: During a sprint a student's pulse and breathing become faster and deeper; after exercise they gradually return to resting values as the demand falls.

    What earns the marks

    • Heart rate increases so oxygenated blood reaches the muscles faster.
    • Breathing rate increases so oxygen is taken into the blood and carbon dioxide is removed more quickly.
    • Breath volume increases so a larger volume of air is moved per breath, increasing gas exchange.
    • More oxygenated blood flowing to muscles supports a higher rate of aerobic respiration and energy release.
    • The responses are coordinated and reverse when exercise stops and demand decreases.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Writing that breath volume and breathing rate are the same thing.

      Put it right: Rate is breaths per minute, while volume is the amount of air per breath.

    • Saying the heart pumps more oxygen rather than more oxygenated blood.

    • Forgetting that carbon dioxide removal is also part of the response, not only oxygen supply.

    Exam tips

    • Name all three changes: heart rate, breathing rate and breath volume.
    • Explain each change in terms of supplying muscles with more oxygenated blood.
    • Use comparative language such as faster, deeper or greater to make the change clear.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Response to exercise: The heart rate, breathing rate and breath volume increase during exercise to supply the muscles with more oxygenated blood. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    Which combination of changes occurs in the respiratory and circulatory systems during vigorous exercise?

    Listen

    During exercise, muscles respire faster and need more oxygen and glucose, while more carbon dioxide must be removed. The heart rate increases so that oxygenated blood is pumped to the muscles more quickly. Breathing rate increases so that oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide leaves it more rapidly. Breath volume also increases, so each breath moves a larger volume of air and gas exchange in the alveoli is greater. Together these changes raise the rate of oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide removal. For example, during a sprint a student's pulse and breathing become faster and deeper; after exercise they gradually return to resting values as the demand falls. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Heart rate increases so oxygenated blood reaches the muscles faster. Breathing rate increases so oxygen is taken into the blood and carbon dioxide is removed more quickly. Breath volume increases so a larger volume of air is moved per breath, increasing gas exchange. More oxygenated blood flowing to muscles supports a higher rate of aerobic respiration and energy release. Exam tip: Name all three changes: heart rate, breathing rate and breath volume.

    See it

    A top-down flowchart. At the top, a node labelled Exercise branches into three nodes: Heart rate increases, Breathing rate increases, and Breath volume increases. Heart rate increases leads to More oxygenated blood reaches the muscles faster. Breathing rate increases leads to Oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide leaves it more rapidly. Breath volume increases leads to Larger volume of air moved per breath, increasing gas exchange. All three of these outcome nodes lead into a single node: Supports a higher rate of aerobic respiration and energy release. That node leads to a final node: Responses reverse when exercise stops and demand decreases.
    It shows how exercise raises heart rate, breathing rate and breath volume, and how these changes support aerobic respiration before reversing when exercise stops.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Heart rate

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Breathing rate

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    Breath volume

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Aerobic respiration

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Heart rate
    Increases during exercise so that oxygenated blood is pumped to the muscles more quickly.
    Breathing rate
    Increases so that oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide leaves it more rapidly.
    Breath volume
    Increases so that each breath moves a larger volume of air and gas exchange in the alveoli is greater.
    Aerobic respiration
    A higher rate is supported by more oxygenated blood flowing to muscles, releasing energy.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A top-down flowchart. At the top, a node labelled Exercise branches into three nodes: Heart rate increases, Breathing rate increases, and Breath volume increases. Heart rate increases leads to More oxygenated blood reaches the muscles faster. Breathing rate increases leads to Oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide leaves it more rapidly. Breath volume increases leads to Larger volume of air moved per breath, increasing gas exchange. All three of these outcome nodes lead into a single node: Supports a higher rate of aerobic respiration and energy release. That node leads to a final node: Responses reverse when exercise stops and demand decreases.

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