Which measure identifies the aerobic capacity of working tissues?

The measure that identifies the aerobic capacity of working tissues is maximal oxygen consumption (VO2). Maximal oxygen consumption represents the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense exercise. It is a key indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic metabolism, providing insight into the efficiency of the cardiovascular and muscular systems in delivering and utilizing oxygen during physical activity.

Understanding VO2 is critical because it reflects the body's ability to perform prolonged exercise by sustaining energy production through aerobic pathways. Higher VO2 values indicate a greater ability to transport and utilize oxygen, which correlates with improved endurance performance.

While metabolic equivalents (METs) do provide a way to express the energy cost of physical activities in relation to resting metabolic rate, they do not directly measure aerobic capacity in the same way VO2 does. Instead, METs are often derived from activities based on a general efficiency scale rather than a direct measure of oxygen consumption.

Maximal heart rate, which is typically estimated based on age, indicates how fast the heart can beat during maximum exertion but does not directly measure the oxygen consumption of tissues. Similarly, resting heart rate provides insight into cardiovascular fitness and recovery but is not a measure of aerobic capacity during activity.

Thus, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2) is the most appropriate