How do the by-products and recovery rates differ between the ATP-PCr and Lactic Acid energy systems? (4 marks)
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- When ATP-PCr breaks down, it releases creatine and phosphate which cause no muscle impairment, enabling immediate reuse.
- This allows rapid recovery because phosphate simply recombines with creatine, restoring 50% of PCr stores within 30 seconds.
- Full PCr restoration occurs through this simple recombination process, completing within 2 minutes.
- Conversely, when the glycolytic system operates without oxygen, it produces lactic acid which leads to lowered muscle pH and impaired contraction.
- Lactic acid removal follows a complex pathway: first diffusing into blood, then transported to the liver for conversion back to glucose.
- As a result, complete lactic acid clearance requires 30-60 minutes compared to just 2 minutes for full PCr restoration.
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Sample Answer
- When ATP-PCr breaks down, it releases creatine and phosphate which cause no muscle impairment, enabling immediate reuse.
- This allows rapid recovery because phosphate simply recombines with creatine, restoring 50% of PCr stores within 30 seconds.
- Full PCr restoration occurs through this simple recombination process, completing within 2 minutes.
- Conversely, when the glycolytic system operates without oxygen, it produces lactic acid which leads to lowered muscle pH and impaired contraction.
- Lactic acid removal follows a complex pathway: first diffusing into blood, then transported to the liver for conversion back to glucose.
- As a result, complete lactic acid clearance requires 30-60 minutes compared to just 2 minutes for full PCr restoration.