NSCA-CSCS EXAM PREP QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
The pelvis is located _______________ to the patella. - Correct Answers -superior
Which of the following is the smallest contractile unit of skeletal muscle?
myosin
epimysium
sarcolemma
sarcomere - Correct Answers -sarcomere
Which of the following describes Type I muscle fibers?
rapid force development capabilities
fatigue resistant with high aerobic energy supply
inefficient and easily fatigable
high myosin ATPase activity - Correct Answers -fatigue resistant with high aerobic
energy supply
Which of the following describes the flow of blood? - Correct Answers -right atrium, right
ventricle, lungs, left atrium, left ventricle, body
On average, how many times per minute does the SA node discharge at rest? - Correct
Answers -60-80
Which of the following are the two main divisions of the skeletal system? - Correct
Answers -appendicular and axial
Some of the highest bone mineral densities have been seen in which of the following
types of athletes? - Correct Answers -gymnasts
What joint comprises the ankle and wrist joints? - Correct Answers -biaxial
Which of the following is the order of the phases of a muscle contraction? - Correct
Answers -resting, excitation-contraction coupling, contraction, recharge, relaxation
The chronotropic effect is caused by stimulation of the _______________ nervous
system and causes the heart rate to _______________. - Correct Answers -
sympathetic; increase
Which of the following substances regulates muscle actions? - Correct Answers -
Calcium
,Which of the following substances acts as the neuromuscular junction to excite the
muscle fibers of a motor unit? - Correct Answers -Acetylcholine
When throwing a baseball, an athlete's arm is rapidly stretched just before throwing the
ball. Which of the following structures detects and responds to that stretch by reflexively
increasing muscle activity? - Correct Answers -Muscle Spindle
From which of the following is the heart's electrical impulse normally initiated? - Correct
Answers -SA node
Which of the following occurs during the QRS complex of a typical ECG?
Depolarization of the Atrium
Repolarization of the Atrium
Repolarization of the Ventricle
Depolarization of the Ventricle - Correct Answers -Depolarization of the Atrium
Repolarization of the Ventricle
The Krebs cycle occurs in which portion of the cell? - Correct Answers -mitochondria
The law of mass action states which of the following?
The rate of product formation is greatly influenced by the concentrations of the
reactants.
The concentrations of reactants or products will drive the direction of the reactions.
A stronger action potential cannot produce a stronger contraction.
The weight or mass of an object creates a stronger action potential. - Correct Answers -
The concentrations of reactants or products will drive the direction of the reactions.
An aerobic endurance athlete is trying to give himself a competitive edge over his
opponents. To improve his lactate threshold, what type of training should he engage in,
and in what direction would this shift his threshold? - Correct Answers -high intensity;
shifts to the right
Two athletes are competing in upcoming competitions, a weightlifting meet and a
marathon. Which energy systems will each be primarily using, respectively? - Correct
Answers -phosphagen and oxidative
Which of the following describes the portion of the total energy cost of exercise that
must be supplied through anaerobic mechanisms due to the slow response of the
aerobic system to the initial increase in the demand for energy?
oxygen deficit
EPOC
oxygen debt
recovery O2 - Correct Answers -oxygen deficit
, The excess postexercise oxygen consumption experienced by athletes is caused by all
of the following EXCEPT
decreases in body temperature
increased protein turnover
ATP-CP resynthesis
changes in energy efficiency during recovery - Correct Answers -decreases in body
temperature
If an athlete completes a maximum sprint interval in 10 seconds as part of an interval
training workout, which of the following is a recommended length of the rest period
before the next sprint? - Correct Answers -2 minutes
During higher-intensity exercises, athletes often experience peripheral fatigue. Which of
the following is believed to be the reason for this type of fatigue?
lactate
gluconeogenesis
increase in muscle pH
metabolic acidosis - Correct Answers -metabolic acidosis
An athlete is used to performing high-intensity aerobic exercise (90% VO2max);
however, she will now be changing to longer-duration, submaximal exercise on a
regular basis. This change in training strategy will typically result in what changes
concerning energy supply? - Correct Answers -transition from almost exclusively
carbohydrate to mostly fat
Which of the following is a branched-chain amino acid?
glutamate
alanine
aspartate
isoleucine - Correct Answers -isoleucine
Which of the following substances can be metabolized anaerobically?
Glycerol
Amino Acids
Glucose
Nitrogen - Correct Answers -Glucose
Which of the following reactions is the primary cause of metabolic acidosis (i.e., the
decrease in intramuscular pH during high- intensity, fatiguing exercise)?
fructose -6- phosphate → fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate
none of the other answers are correct
ATP → ADP + Pi + H+
ADP + creatine phosphate → ATP + creatine - Correct Answers -ATP → ADP + Pi + H+
Which of the following energy systems produces ATP at the quickest rate?
Oxidative Metabolism
AND ANSWERS
The pelvis is located _______________ to the patella. - Correct Answers -superior
Which of the following is the smallest contractile unit of skeletal muscle?
myosin
epimysium
sarcolemma
sarcomere - Correct Answers -sarcomere
Which of the following describes Type I muscle fibers?
rapid force development capabilities
fatigue resistant with high aerobic energy supply
inefficient and easily fatigable
high myosin ATPase activity - Correct Answers -fatigue resistant with high aerobic
energy supply
Which of the following describes the flow of blood? - Correct Answers -right atrium, right
ventricle, lungs, left atrium, left ventricle, body
On average, how many times per minute does the SA node discharge at rest? - Correct
Answers -60-80
Which of the following are the two main divisions of the skeletal system? - Correct
Answers -appendicular and axial
Some of the highest bone mineral densities have been seen in which of the following
types of athletes? - Correct Answers -gymnasts
What joint comprises the ankle and wrist joints? - Correct Answers -biaxial
Which of the following is the order of the phases of a muscle contraction? - Correct
Answers -resting, excitation-contraction coupling, contraction, recharge, relaxation
The chronotropic effect is caused by stimulation of the _______________ nervous
system and causes the heart rate to _______________. - Correct Answers -
sympathetic; increase
Which of the following substances regulates muscle actions? - Correct Answers -
Calcium
,Which of the following substances acts as the neuromuscular junction to excite the
muscle fibers of a motor unit? - Correct Answers -Acetylcholine
When throwing a baseball, an athlete's arm is rapidly stretched just before throwing the
ball. Which of the following structures detects and responds to that stretch by reflexively
increasing muscle activity? - Correct Answers -Muscle Spindle
From which of the following is the heart's electrical impulse normally initiated? - Correct
Answers -SA node
Which of the following occurs during the QRS complex of a typical ECG?
Depolarization of the Atrium
Repolarization of the Atrium
Repolarization of the Ventricle
Depolarization of the Ventricle - Correct Answers -Depolarization of the Atrium
Repolarization of the Ventricle
The Krebs cycle occurs in which portion of the cell? - Correct Answers -mitochondria
The law of mass action states which of the following?
The rate of product formation is greatly influenced by the concentrations of the
reactants.
The concentrations of reactants or products will drive the direction of the reactions.
A stronger action potential cannot produce a stronger contraction.
The weight or mass of an object creates a stronger action potential. - Correct Answers -
The concentrations of reactants or products will drive the direction of the reactions.
An aerobic endurance athlete is trying to give himself a competitive edge over his
opponents. To improve his lactate threshold, what type of training should he engage in,
and in what direction would this shift his threshold? - Correct Answers -high intensity;
shifts to the right
Two athletes are competing in upcoming competitions, a weightlifting meet and a
marathon. Which energy systems will each be primarily using, respectively? - Correct
Answers -phosphagen and oxidative
Which of the following describes the portion of the total energy cost of exercise that
must be supplied through anaerobic mechanisms due to the slow response of the
aerobic system to the initial increase in the demand for energy?
oxygen deficit
EPOC
oxygen debt
recovery O2 - Correct Answers -oxygen deficit
, The excess postexercise oxygen consumption experienced by athletes is caused by all
of the following EXCEPT
decreases in body temperature
increased protein turnover
ATP-CP resynthesis
changes in energy efficiency during recovery - Correct Answers -decreases in body
temperature
If an athlete completes a maximum sprint interval in 10 seconds as part of an interval
training workout, which of the following is a recommended length of the rest period
before the next sprint? - Correct Answers -2 minutes
During higher-intensity exercises, athletes often experience peripheral fatigue. Which of
the following is believed to be the reason for this type of fatigue?
lactate
gluconeogenesis
increase in muscle pH
metabolic acidosis - Correct Answers -metabolic acidosis
An athlete is used to performing high-intensity aerobic exercise (90% VO2max);
however, she will now be changing to longer-duration, submaximal exercise on a
regular basis. This change in training strategy will typically result in what changes
concerning energy supply? - Correct Answers -transition from almost exclusively
carbohydrate to mostly fat
Which of the following is a branched-chain amino acid?
glutamate
alanine
aspartate
isoleucine - Correct Answers -isoleucine
Which of the following substances can be metabolized anaerobically?
Glycerol
Amino Acids
Glucose
Nitrogen - Correct Answers -Glucose
Which of the following reactions is the primary cause of metabolic acidosis (i.e., the
decrease in intramuscular pH during high- intensity, fatiguing exercise)?
fructose -6- phosphate → fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate
none of the other answers are correct
ATP → ADP + Pi + H+
ADP + creatine phosphate → ATP + creatine - Correct Answers -ATP → ADP + Pi + H+
Which of the following energy systems produces ATP at the quickest rate?
Oxidative Metabolism
