"Using what you know about volume, mass, and density determine the volume of your body." I've been talking with a few friends, and the only thing we can come up with is using water displacement. Any other ideas?
2006-09-12 13:57:52 · 4 answers · asked by Crissy 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Here are five other ways:
1. Use a laser scanner to create a 3-D image of your body. Then compute the volume as the total number of pixels inside the surface.
2. Step into an airtight chamber with a known volume V1 at one atmosphere. Measure the volume V2 much air you need to add to increase the pressure to, say, 1.1 atmospheres. The volume of the chamber (not counting you) is 10*V2. Your volume is, then, V1 - (10*V2).
3. Use calipers or a body fat scale to estimate the percentage of blubber you're carrying. Then use metrics such as wrist width to estimate your frame (percentage of "you" that is skeleton). Then weigh yourself and allocate that weight to fat, bone, and muscle, according to the percentages above, and divide by the density.
4. Divide your body up into regions approximating elliptical cylinders and spheres. Measure each section with a tape measure to compute diameters and lengths. Compute the volume of each and add up the total.
5. Make a mold of yourself out of Jell-o, plaster, or some other casting material (see http://www.smooth-on.com/ezjunior.htm for ideas). Cut yourself out, assemble the mold, and see how much water (or sand) it takes to fill it.
2006-09-12 14:34:55 · answer #1 · answered by ChicagoDude 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your idea is a good one, and will work, but you did quote the problem as stating "Using what you know about volume, mass, and density determine the volume of your body."
Given the terms of the question, I'd suggest the best way to answer the question is to discover what the average density of the human body is, then weigh yourself.
Volume = mass / density.
It so happens that the human body's specific gravity (density) is about 1Kg/L. A very lean person will be slightly less, a fat person person slightly more.
So, someone who is fairly fit and weighs 80Kg will have a volume of 80 Liters.
2006-09-16 13:56:03 · answer #2 · answered by Dan C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. Water displacement is the most accurate, but any liquid would work. Gas would also work if held at the same temp and pressure.
2006-09-12 14:13:23 · answer #3 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's the best way... plus you get a nice bath out of it...
2006-09-12 16:03:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋