 | Categories | | Nooks and crannies |  | | Yesteryear | | | Semantic enigmas | | | The body beautiful | | | Red tape, white lies | | | Speculative science | | | This sceptred isle | | | Root of all evil | | | Ethical conundrums | | | This sporting life | | | Stage and screen | | | Birds and the bees | | | SPECULATIVE SCIENCEWhat is the easiest way to accurately weigh your own head? I've tried both lying on the bathroom scales and water displacement, but cannot get a consistent result Sam, London - You can do it approximately by the following method: if you assume that the average density of tissue and bone in your head is similar to that in the rest of your body (taken as a whole), then all you need to do is determine the volume of your head, the volume of the rest of your body, and then multiply the ratio of the two by your total body weight. To determine the volume of your head, fill a bathtub up to the rim and carefully immerse yourself in it completely - including your head. Collect the water that spills over the rim and measure its volume. This is the volume of your entire body. Then repeat the exercise, but this time keeping just your head above water. Measure the overspill again, and subtract this from the volume of overspill on the previous occasion. The amount remaining is equal to the volume of your head. Now take the ratio of the volume of your head alone, divded by the volume of your entire body. Multiply your total body wieght by this number. The result is the weight of your head. Voila!
Steve Denton, london UK - The 'easiest' way would be to have someone slice your head from your neck at a pre-arranged location (precisely 10cm below the base of the earlobe, for example) and for that person to then place your head on a scale. The weight can then be read by your assistant with the minimum of effort. Whether this is the 'best' way depends on your point of view.
Joe, Manchester England - Look here: http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Weigh_20your_20own_20head
Matt, Brighton UK - Sorry, Somdomite, you are wrong: my method does NOT assume that your body has the same average density as that of water (though it is pretty close, as your body is mostly water). It relies only on the ratio of the volume of your head to that of your whole body, and multiplies this by your body weight, and not the weight of the water displaced.
Steve Denton, London UK - I would love to know your reasons for wishing, so precisely to measure the weight of your own head: please enlighten us! You seem to have gone to a lot of trouble to ascertain this, and i would agree with one of the last answers: that the most accurate way would be to arrange removal and separate weighing: but, two problems with this: firstly, how would you anatomically define your 'head'? and be sure of no neck inclusion? (I can see a sort of Merchant of Venice scene here) Secondly, there is the problem of losses, since by severing your head from the body, blood and cerebrospinal fluid loss would result: so I suggest a refinement to the last plan, that before you arrange head removal, have yourself frozen. This would allow very precise removal of the head with no loss of content.
C Marshall, Warwick UK - If you could cut it off to weigh it,the result would only be approximate as it would depend where the cut occurred on the neck and also the amount of blood loss. Do not waste your time racking your brains,simply visit your local undertaker,borrow a deceased's head and weigh that.The result will be near enough.
Bruiser, London UK - Set up a bucket full to the brim with water,with the bucket standing in a collection bowl.Submerse your head neck deep into the bucket,then weigh the water that overflowed into the bowl.Add 10%, and the result will be a good approximation of your head weight.This is because the density of the human body is about 10% higher than water and the reason we do not float in it.
Len, Leicester England Add your answer  |
