Sports and Fitness Technology & Tools 2

Question 1

Which sensor in most wrist-worn activity trackers detects movement to estimate step count?

Accepted Answer

Accelerometer

Answer

An accelerometer detects changes in acceleration, which algorithms turn into step counts.

Question 2

Optical heart rate sensors on smartwatches rely on which technology?

Accepted Answer

Photoplethysmography (PPG)

Answer

PPG shines light into the skin and detects changes in blood volume with each heartbeat.

Question 3

Why is a chest-strap heart rate monitor usually more accurate than a wrist optical sensor during high-intensity intervals?

Accepted Answer

It detects the heart's electrical signals directly

Answer

Chest straps pick up the heart's electrical activity, so wrist movement and blood-flow lag affect them less.

Question 4

An athlete's wearable shows resting heart rate variability (HRV) well above their usual baseline. What does this generally suggest?

Accepted Answer

Good recovery and readiness to train

Answer

Higher-than-baseline HRV usually reflects strong parasympathetic activity and good recovery.

Question 5

A cyclist's Functional Threshold Power (FTP), measured with a power meter, is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

The highest average power sustainable for about one hour

Answer

FTP estimates the highest power a rider can hold for roughly 60 minutes, often from 95% of a 20-minute test.

Sports and Fitness Practice Test