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100+ Free A-Level Physical Education Practice Questions

Pass your A-Level Physical Education (AQA 7582 / Edexcel 9PE0 / OCR H555) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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The size principle of motor unit recruitment states that:

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: A-Level Physical Education Exam

A*-E

Grading scale

Ofqual

~30%

NEA practical weighting

AQA, Edexcel, OCR specifications

2 papers

Written exams

AQA 7582, Edexcel 9PE0, OCR H555

100

Free practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

AQA, Edexcel and OCR A-Level PE share two written papers (around 70%) and a 30% NEA. Topics span anatomy and physiology, skill acquisition, sport psychology, sport and society, biomechanics and exercise physiology, with A*-E grading on 2026 specifications.

Sample A-Level Physical Education Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your A-Level Physical Education exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which muscle fibre type has the highest mitochondrial density and greatest resistance to fatigue?
A.Type I (slow oxidative)
B.Type IIa (fast oxidative glycolytic)
C.Type IIx (fast glycolytic)
D.Type IIb cardiac
Explanation: Type I slow-twitch fibres have the most mitochondria, highest myoglobin and capillary density, and the greatest aerobic capacity, making them the most fatigue-resistant fibre type. They are recruited for endurance work such as marathon running.
2Which energy system resynthesises ATP fastest but for the shortest duration?
A.ATP-PC (phosphocreatine) system
B.Anaerobic glycolytic system
C.Aerobic system
D.Krebs cycle
Explanation: The ATP-PC system breaks down phosphocreatine to rephosphorylate ADP almost instantly, providing the fastest ATP resynthesis. Stores are exhausted within around 8-10 seconds of maximal effort, making it the dominant system for sprints and explosive movements.
3EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) is best defined as:
A.The volume of oxygen consumed after exercise above resting levels to restore the body to its pre-exercise state
B.The maximum volume of oxygen the body can consume during peak exercise
C.The volume of oxygen used during steady-state aerobic exercise
D.The oxygen deficit at the start of exercise
Explanation: EPOC is the elevated oxygen uptake after exercise that fuels recovery processes: replenishing ATP and phosphocreatine stores, removing lactate, restoring myoglobin, and supporting elevated cardiac and respiratory rates. It has fast and slow components.
4The lactate threshold is best described as:
A.The exercise intensity at which lactate accumulates faster than it can be removed
B.The point at which all carbohydrate is used and the body switches to fat
C.The maximum heart rate achievable during exercise
D.The intensity at which the ATP-PC system runs out
Explanation: The lactate threshold (OBLA when measured as 4 mmol/L) marks the intensity at which blood lactate concentration rises sharply because the rate of glycolytic production exceeds the rate of clearance. Trained athletes show a higher threshold as a percentage of VO2 max.
5Cardiovascular drift is most likely to occur during:
A.Prolonged submaximal exercise in a warm environment
B.Short maximal sprints
C.Resistance training to failure
D.Static stretching after exercise
Explanation: During prolonged submaximal exercise, especially in heat, plasma volume falls due to sweating and increased blood flow to the skin. Stroke volume drops and heart rate rises progressively to maintain cardiac output — this gradual upward heart rate creep is cardiovascular drift.
6The Hering-Breuer reflex protects the lungs from over-inflation by:
A.Sending impulses from stretch receptors in the bronchioles via the vagus nerve to inhibit inspiration
B.Stimulating the diaphragm to contract more forcefully
C.Triggering the cough reflex when CO2 is too high
D.Increasing the firing of chemoreceptors in the carotid bodies
Explanation: Stretch receptors in the smooth muscle of the bronchi and bronchioles fire when the lungs are inflated. Afferent signals travel along the vagus nerve to the medulla, inhibiting the inspiratory centre so the muscles relax and expiration follows.
7Which type of muscular contraction occurs when a muscle lengthens under tension, such as the lowering phase of a biceps curl?
A.Eccentric
B.Concentric
C.Isometric
D.Isokinetic
Explanation: An eccentric contraction produces force while the muscle actively lengthens. Eccentric work is responsible for the controlled lowering phase of most exercises and is strongly associated with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
8The 'all-or-none' law of motor unit recruitment states that:
A.When a motor unit is stimulated above threshold, all of its muscle fibres contract maximally; otherwise none contract
B.Only the largest motor units are ever recruited
C.All motor units in a muscle fire together at all times
D.Motor units fire in proportion to the size of the stimulus
Explanation: Each motor unit either reaches its threshold and all of its fibres contract fully, or it does not contract at all. Force is graded across the whole muscle by recruiting more (or larger) motor units and by increasing firing frequency, not by partial contractions.
9During the upward (concentric) phase of a squat, which is the agonist at the knee joint?
A.Quadriceps
B.Hamstrings
C.Gastrocnemius
D.Gluteus maximus
Explanation: Knee extension during the rise of a squat is produced by the quadriceps (rectus femoris and vasti). The hamstrings act as the antagonist, while gluteals extend the hip — a separate joint action.
10Which energy system has the highest ATP yield per molecule of glucose?
A.Aerobic system
B.Anaerobic glycolytic system
C.ATP-PC system
D.Phosphagen system
Explanation: Complete aerobic oxidation of one glucose molecule yields around 38 ATP via glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain. Anaerobic glycolysis yields only 2 ATP per glucose, and the ATP-PC system does not use glucose at all.

About the A-Level Physical Education Exam

A-Level Physical Education is offered by AQA (7582), Edexcel (9PE0) and OCR (H555). The course combines applied anatomy and physiology, skill acquisition, sport psychology, sport and society, biomechanics and exercise physiology. Assessment is around 70% written exams (two papers) and 30% non-examined assessment (NEA) covering practical performance and a written/verbal analysis.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

Around 4 hours of written exams plus NEA

Passing Score

Grade E is the minimum pass, Grades A*-E count as a pass (A*-A-B-C-D-E)

Exam Fee

£75-£130 per subject (school-set entry fee) (AQA, Edexcel, OCR)

A-Level Physical Education Exam Content Outline

~25%

Applied anatomy and physiology

Muscle fibre types (Type I/IIa/IIx), energy systems (ATP-PC, glycolytic, aerobic), EPOC, lactate threshold, cardiovascular drift, respiratory control (Hering-Breuer), types of muscular contraction and motor unit recruitment

~20%

Skill acquisition

Classification of skills (open/closed, serial/discrete/continuous), practice methods, guidance types, feedback, Schmidt's schema theory, Welford/Whiting information processing, reaction time and transfer of learning

~15%

Sport psychology

Trait vs interactionist (Lewin) personality, arousal theories (drive, inverted U, catastrophe), Weiner's attribution, SMART goals, Tuckman and Steiner group dynamics, leadership styles and aggression

~20%

Sport and society

Pre-industrial sport, rational recreation, public schools and athleticism, amateurism vs professionalism, the modern Olympic Movement, the golden triangle of commercialisation, deviance, doping and equal opportunity

~10%

Biomechanical movement

Newton's laws applied to sport, first/second/third class levers, projectile motion, angular motion, fluid mechanics including the Bernoulli principle and the Magnus effect

~10%

Exercise physiology and training

Continuous, HIIT, Fartlek, circuit, plyometric and PRT training methods, periodisation (macro/meso/microcycle), FITT, ergogenic aids and injury prevention/rehabilitation (RICE, SALTAPS, warm-up phases)

How to Pass the A-Level Physical Education Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Grade E is the minimum pass, Grades A*-E count as a pass (A*-A-B-C-D-E)
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: Around 4 hours of written exams plus NEA
  • Exam fee: £75-£130 per subject (school-set entry fee)

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

A-Level Physical Education Study Tips from Top Performers

1Use past papers from your specific exam board — the wording and command verbs vary between AQA, Edexcel and OCR
2Learn named theories with the theorist (Schmidt, Welford, Weiner, Tuckman, Fazey and Hardy) — examiners reward correct attribution
3Practise extended-answer (synoptic) questions linking anatomy/physiology with skill acquisition or sociocultural factors
4Use the NEA practical sport as your worked example when explaining theory — examiners reward applied answers

Frequently Asked Questions

What exam boards offer A-Level Physical Education?

A-Level PE is offered by AQA (7582), Edexcel/Pearson (9PE0) and OCR (H555). All boards follow Ofqual subject content but vary in paper structure, NEA practical sport list and optional sociocultural topics.

How is A-Level Physical Education assessed?

Approximately 70% of the marks come from two written papers covering the theoretical content. The remaining 30% is the non-examined assessment (NEA): practical performance in one chosen sport plus a written or verbal analysis and evaluation of performance.

When is the A-Level PE exam taken?

Written papers are sat in the May-June series at the end of the two-year linear course in Year 13. NEA practical performance is moderated by the exam board across the spring of Year 13.

How is A-Level PE graded?

A-Levels are graded A*-E. A* is the highest grade and E is the minimum pass. The overall grade combines the two written papers (around 70%) with the NEA (around 30%).