AQA GCSE Physical Education Paper 1: The human body and movement in physical activity and sport, June 2025: Question 23

✅ Correct Answer

Second class lever (or 2nd class lever).

💡 Key Knowledge

Remember the rhyme FLE - 1 2 3:

• 1st Class: Fulcrum in the middle (e.g. neck extension).
• 2nd Class: Load in the middle (e.g. ankle during plantarflexion / jumping off toes).
• 3rd Class: Effort in the middle (e.g. biceps curl at the elbow).

✅ Mark Allocation (2 Marks)

• Mark 1 (Drawing): Lever line drawn with the Fulcrum on one side (below the line), the Load in the middle acting downwards (↓), and the Effort on the opposite end pointing upwards (↑).
• Mark 2 (Labels): All three components clearly labelled as Fulcrum (or F), Load / Resistance (or L / R), and Effort (or E).

❌ Common Errors & Traps

• Wrong Arrow Directions: Drawing the effort pointing down or the load pointing up. Effort must pull up (gastrocnemius contraction) while load pushes down (body weight).
• Order of Components: Putting effort in the middle (3rd class) or fulcrum in the middle (1st class).
• Consequential Penalty: If you identified the wrong lever in 23.1, you cannot gain marks here for drawing a 2nd class lever.

💡 AO1: Definition of Balance (1 Mark)

"The ability to maintain the body's centre of mass above the base of support."

⚠️ Examiner Tip: You must use the terms centre of mass and base of support. Vague descriptions like "staying upright" or "not falling over" will score 0 for the definition.

✅ AO3: Justification for a Gymnast (2 Marks)

Any two applied points linked directly to gymnastics:

• To maintain a stable posture and keep control of the body during landings or holds.
• To successfully execute complex or high-tariff (high difficulty) skills (e.g. balancing on the beam or vaulting).
• To prevent falling over, wobbling, or over-rotating upon landing.
• To prevent deductions from judges and achieve a higher performance score.

🧠 Top-Grade Exam Technique

• Direct Sporting Link: Notice the command requires you to justify why it matters for a gymnast. Simply saying "so they don't fall" is weak; mentioning "sticking a landing cleanly to avoid judge deductions" guarantees the AO3 marks.
• Structure: Separate your answer clearly using the subheadings provided on the exam paper: Definition and Justification.

❌ Common Misconceptions

• Confusing static balance (e.g. handstand) with the overall definition, forgetting balance also applies when moving (dynamic balance).
• Omitting the consequence: in gymnastics, loss of balance results in step faults, fallen apparatus routines, or score penalties. Mentioning judges or scoring secures easy credit.