AQA GCSE Physical Education Paper 1: The human body and movement in physical activity and sport, June 2025: Question 12

Mark scheme

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12 Name one flat bone and the vital organ it protects.

Give one example from sport of where this occurs.

[3 marks]

Marks for this question AO1 = 2, AO2 =1

Award one mark for each of the following up to a maximum of three marks.

AO1 (sub max 2 marks)

• Cranium (1) brain (1)

• Ribs/Sternum (1) heart and lungs (1)

• Pelvis (1) reproductive organs (1)

AO2 (sub max 1 mark)

• (Cranium protects the brain) – heading the ball in football (1)

• (Ribs/Sternum protects the heart and lungs) – when getting hit in boxing (1)

• (Pelvis protects the reproductive organs) – when getting tackled in rugby (1)

Accept any other suitable response.

Maximum 3 marks

How to answer it

Skeletal System: Flat Bones & Protection

📌 What this question tests

This 3-mark question assesses your ability to recall bone classifications and their functions (AO1), paired with applying that knowledge directly to a real sporting scenario (AO2). You must provide a matching triad: a correct flat bone, the vital organ it shields, and a realistic sporting situation where impact protection occurs.

Question 12

Total Marks: 3 (AO1 = 2 marks, AO2 = 1 mark)

✅ Acceptable Full-Mark Combinations

Your three answers must link together logically. Choose one complete set below:

Flat bone (1 mark)	Vital organ (1 mark)	Sporting example (1 mark)
Cranium	Brain	Heading a ball in football / taking a punch in boxing
Ribs or Sternum	Heart and/or lungs	Being struck by a punch in boxing / hit by a cricket ball
Pelvis	Reproductive organs / bladder	Being tackled around the hips in rugby

💡 Key Knowledge: Bone Functions

Classification of flat bones: Thin, broad, flat surfaces (e.g., cranium, ribs, sternum, pelvis, scapula).
Primary function: Primarily designed for protection of vital internal organs and broad surface areas for muscle attachment.
Contrast with long bones: Long bones (like the femur or humerus) are primarily for movement and leverage, not protection of internal vital organs.

🧠 Exam Technique: Securing 3/3

Keep it consistent: Your vital organ and sporting example must directly match the bone you named. Do not name the cranium and then write about being hit in the chest!
Be specific with the sport: Don't just name a sport (e.g. "football"). Specify the action where protection takes place: "heading the ball in football".
Use standard anatomical terms: Write cranium rather than just "head" or "skull" to guarantee full credit.

❌ Common Errors to Avoid

Naming the wrong bone type: Writing long bones (e.g., femur, tibia) or short bones (e.g., carpals) scores 0 immediately.
Vague sporting examples: Writing just "running in athletics" does not demonstrate how the bone is acting as protection against contact or impact.
Mismatched organs: Naming ribs and stating they protect the brain or stomach.
Non-vital tissues: Stating that bones protect muscles or skin rather than a vital organ.

Examiner Insight: High-scoring candidates immediately think of the cranium and brain because heading in football is an obvious, easy-to-describe AO2 sporting scenario. Candidates who lost marks typically named a non-flat bone (such as the patella or vertebrae) or gave vague sporting examples with no mention of an impact or specific event.

Topics

3.1 The human body and movement in physical activity and sport · 3.1.1 Applied anatomy and physiology