Chapter 3- ACSM Exercise
Physiologist Test Questions All
Answered Correct 2025-2026.
Respiratory System - Answer Supports gas exchange, promoting the movement of oxygen and
carbon dioxide from the environment into the blood and from the blood back into the
environment.
Cardiovascular System - Answer Responsible for the delivery of oxygenated blood and
nutrients to the cell to make energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The
cardiovascular system is also responsible for the removal of "waste" from the cell, so it can be
transported to its appropriate destination for elimination or recycling
The heart is a 4 chambered muscular pump, composed of the right and left atria (upper
chambers) and the right and left ventricles (lower chambers). Specifically, the right ventricle is
responsible for pumping deoxygenated blood to the lungs for oxygen loading and carbon
dioxide unloading. After gas exchange occurs in the pulmonary circulation, blood returns to the
left side of the heart. The left ventricle is then responsible for generating the force necessary to
drive the blood out of its chamber and through the vasculature. The right and left atria act to
provide support to their respective ventricles, serving as a reservoir of blood that eventually
moves into the ventricles. The vasculature consists of arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules,
and veins; they can be thought of as a series of tubes that branch and become smaller in
diameter as they move away from the heart
pulmonary circulation, the arteries and arterioles carry "deoxygenated blood," or blood that
contains less oxygen than arterial blood. As the vasculature is more distal from the heart,
arteries branch into smaller arterioles, which in turn branch and merge with the capillaries. The
capillary is the smallest and most numerous o the blood vessels and is the location of gas and
nutrient exchange. Deoxygen-ated blood and metabolic byproducts move out of capillaries into
venules, which consolidate into veins as they move closer to the heart. Veins are responsible for
delivering the deoxygenated blood back to the right side of the heart, where the
ATP Production: Systems - Answer Cells must continuously create ATP at a rate equal to ATP
use through a combination of three primary metabolic systems: creatine phosphate (CP),
anaerobic glycolysis, and the oxidative system
,Can provide ATP to fuel work only during short-intense bouts of exercise
CP system is the primary source of ATP during very short, intense movements, such as discus
throw, shot put, and high jump, and any maximal-intensity exercise lasting less than
approximately 10 seconds.
Anaerobic Glycolysis (Without O2) - Answer Next most immediate energy source, and consists
of a metabolic path-way that breaks down carbohydrates (glucose or glycogen) into pyruvate
The net energy yield for anaerobic glycolysis, is 2 ATPs if glucose is the substrate and 3 ATPs if
glycogen is the substrate.
Oxygen is available in the mitochondria of the cell, pyruvate continues to be broken down to
acetyl CoA and enters the oxidative system.
The absence of adequate oxygen supply, pyruvate is converted to lactic acid
Primary source of ATP during medium-duration, intense exercise, such as the 200-m and 400-m
sprint events or any exercise of an intensity that cannot be continued for more than
approximately 90 seconds.
Oxidative System (With O2) - Answer Oxidative system includes two metabolic pathways: the
Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain
Require the presence of oxygen to produce ATP, which takes place in the mitochondria of the
cell - where the majority of ATP is generated
The Krebs cycle requires the presence of glucose, proteins, or fats. These macronutrients are
broken down through a series of chemical reactions with their subsequent energy collected and
used to create ATP independently and within the electron transport chain.
Primary source of ATP used during low-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercise lasting longer
than 1 to 2 minutes all the way up to long distance endurance events.
, O2 Deficit / Excess Postexercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) Graph - Oxygen Uptake Kinetics
during Submaximal Single-Intensity Exercise - Answer Upon the transition from rest to
submaximal exercise, ˙VO2 increases and reaches a steady state in 1 to 4 minutes. Prior to
steady state, ˙VO2 is lower than required to create adequate energy for the given task via the
oxidative energy systems. During this period, the anaerobic energy systems are responsible for
providing the energy to make up for the difference between the energy produced via the
aerobic energy systems and the energy required to perform the work required. The time
required to reach steady state is influenced by the training state and the magnitude of the
increase in exercise intensity. Aerobic exercise training decreases the time required to reach
steady state, thus reducing the oxygen deficit that has to be "paid back" during steady state
exercise and recovery. This is beneficial because less ATP production will be required, and
thereore less anaerobic byproducts from the anaerobic energy systems at the start of exercise
and upon transition to a higher workload of exercise
After cessation of exercise, ˙VO2 remains elevated because of the increased work associated
with the resynthesis of ATP and CP within muscle cells, lactate removal, and elevated body
temperature, hormones, heart rate (HR), and respiratory rate
Steady State - Answer Is the point at which VO2 plateaus during submaximal aerobic exercise,
and energy production via the aerobic energy systems is equal to the energy required to
perform the set intensity of work.
Oxygen Deficit - Answer Period when VO2 is lower than required to create adequate energy
for the given task via the oxidative energy systems
Period of inadequate oxygen consumption has been termed the oxygen deficit
Excess Postexercise Oxygen Consumption - Answer Elevation in ˙VO2 after exercise
Oxygen Uptake Kinetics during Graded Intensity Exercise - Answer Graded exercise testing is
used in many settings to determine baseline fitness and relevant health risks.
Uses either maximal or submaximal graded exercise testing to determine baseline fitness, which
can be compared at future time points for assessing fitness improvements.
During incremental exercise, VO2 increases slowly within the first few minutes of exercise and
eventually reaches a steady state at each submaximal exercise intensity. Steady state ˙VO2
continues to increase linearly as workload increases until ˙VO2max is reached
Physiologist Test Questions All
Answered Correct 2025-2026.
Respiratory System - Answer Supports gas exchange, promoting the movement of oxygen and
carbon dioxide from the environment into the blood and from the blood back into the
environment.
Cardiovascular System - Answer Responsible for the delivery of oxygenated blood and
nutrients to the cell to make energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The
cardiovascular system is also responsible for the removal of "waste" from the cell, so it can be
transported to its appropriate destination for elimination or recycling
The heart is a 4 chambered muscular pump, composed of the right and left atria (upper
chambers) and the right and left ventricles (lower chambers). Specifically, the right ventricle is
responsible for pumping deoxygenated blood to the lungs for oxygen loading and carbon
dioxide unloading. After gas exchange occurs in the pulmonary circulation, blood returns to the
left side of the heart. The left ventricle is then responsible for generating the force necessary to
drive the blood out of its chamber and through the vasculature. The right and left atria act to
provide support to their respective ventricles, serving as a reservoir of blood that eventually
moves into the ventricles. The vasculature consists of arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules,
and veins; they can be thought of as a series of tubes that branch and become smaller in
diameter as they move away from the heart
pulmonary circulation, the arteries and arterioles carry "deoxygenated blood," or blood that
contains less oxygen than arterial blood. As the vasculature is more distal from the heart,
arteries branch into smaller arterioles, which in turn branch and merge with the capillaries. The
capillary is the smallest and most numerous o the blood vessels and is the location of gas and
nutrient exchange. Deoxygen-ated blood and metabolic byproducts move out of capillaries into
venules, which consolidate into veins as they move closer to the heart. Veins are responsible for
delivering the deoxygenated blood back to the right side of the heart, where the
ATP Production: Systems - Answer Cells must continuously create ATP at a rate equal to ATP
use through a combination of three primary metabolic systems: creatine phosphate (CP),
anaerobic glycolysis, and the oxidative system
,Can provide ATP to fuel work only during short-intense bouts of exercise
CP system is the primary source of ATP during very short, intense movements, such as discus
throw, shot put, and high jump, and any maximal-intensity exercise lasting less than
approximately 10 seconds.
Anaerobic Glycolysis (Without O2) - Answer Next most immediate energy source, and consists
of a metabolic path-way that breaks down carbohydrates (glucose or glycogen) into pyruvate
The net energy yield for anaerobic glycolysis, is 2 ATPs if glucose is the substrate and 3 ATPs if
glycogen is the substrate.
Oxygen is available in the mitochondria of the cell, pyruvate continues to be broken down to
acetyl CoA and enters the oxidative system.
The absence of adequate oxygen supply, pyruvate is converted to lactic acid
Primary source of ATP during medium-duration, intense exercise, such as the 200-m and 400-m
sprint events or any exercise of an intensity that cannot be continued for more than
approximately 90 seconds.
Oxidative System (With O2) - Answer Oxidative system includes two metabolic pathways: the
Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain
Require the presence of oxygen to produce ATP, which takes place in the mitochondria of the
cell - where the majority of ATP is generated
The Krebs cycle requires the presence of glucose, proteins, or fats. These macronutrients are
broken down through a series of chemical reactions with their subsequent energy collected and
used to create ATP independently and within the electron transport chain.
Primary source of ATP used during low-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercise lasting longer
than 1 to 2 minutes all the way up to long distance endurance events.
, O2 Deficit / Excess Postexercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) Graph - Oxygen Uptake Kinetics
during Submaximal Single-Intensity Exercise - Answer Upon the transition from rest to
submaximal exercise, ˙VO2 increases and reaches a steady state in 1 to 4 minutes. Prior to
steady state, ˙VO2 is lower than required to create adequate energy for the given task via the
oxidative energy systems. During this period, the anaerobic energy systems are responsible for
providing the energy to make up for the difference between the energy produced via the
aerobic energy systems and the energy required to perform the work required. The time
required to reach steady state is influenced by the training state and the magnitude of the
increase in exercise intensity. Aerobic exercise training decreases the time required to reach
steady state, thus reducing the oxygen deficit that has to be "paid back" during steady state
exercise and recovery. This is beneficial because less ATP production will be required, and
thereore less anaerobic byproducts from the anaerobic energy systems at the start of exercise
and upon transition to a higher workload of exercise
After cessation of exercise, ˙VO2 remains elevated because of the increased work associated
with the resynthesis of ATP and CP within muscle cells, lactate removal, and elevated body
temperature, hormones, heart rate (HR), and respiratory rate
Steady State - Answer Is the point at which VO2 plateaus during submaximal aerobic exercise,
and energy production via the aerobic energy systems is equal to the energy required to
perform the set intensity of work.
Oxygen Deficit - Answer Period when VO2 is lower than required to create adequate energy
for the given task via the oxidative energy systems
Period of inadequate oxygen consumption has been termed the oxygen deficit
Excess Postexercise Oxygen Consumption - Answer Elevation in ˙VO2 after exercise
Oxygen Uptake Kinetics during Graded Intensity Exercise - Answer Graded exercise testing is
used in many settings to determine baseline fitness and relevant health risks.
Uses either maximal or submaximal graded exercise testing to determine baseline fitness, which
can be compared at future time points for assessing fitness improvements.
During incremental exercise, VO2 increases slowly within the first few minutes of exercise and
eventually reaches a steady state at each submaximal exercise intensity. Steady state ˙VO2
continues to increase linearly as workload increases until ˙VO2max is reached
