Physics: Principles with Applications
Physics: Principles with Applications
6th Edition
ISBN: 9780130606204
Author: Douglas C. Giancoli
Publisher: Prentice Hall
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Chapter 1, Problem 29P
To determine

A rough estimate of the volume of a human body in cm3 .

Expert Solution & Answer
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Answer to Problem 29P

The volume of a human body is approximately 105 cm3 .

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

Method:1

Assuming a human body to be a rectangular cuboid, its length, width and thickness is determined. The volume of the human being can be determined using the formula for the volume of the cuboid.

Method:2

Using the fact that 75%of a human body is water, the density of a human body can be estimated. The volume of a body is given by,

  Volume=MassDensity

Method:1

Assume the following measurements for a human:

  Height=170 cmWidth=36 cmThickness=10 cm

Calculate the volume using the expression,

  Volume=Height×Width×Thickness=(170 cm)(36 cm)(10 cm)=6.12×104cm3

This can be rounded off to the nearest power of 10 as 105 cm3 .

Method:2

Since most of the human body is made of water, it is fair to assume the density of the human body to be nearly equal to the density of water, which is 1 g/cm3 .

Taking the average mass of a human to be 65 kg, which is equivalent to 65000 g , the volume is calculated as follows:

  Volume=MassDensity=65000 g1 g/cm3=6.5×104cm3

When rounded to the nearest power of 10, the volume is found to be 105 cm3 .

Conclusion:

Thus, the volume of a human body is approximately 105 cm3 .

Chapter 1 Solutions

Physics: Principles with Applications

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