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Related Concept Videos

Mass and Weight01:19

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Mass and weight are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation. For example,  medical records often show our weight in kilograms, but never in the correct units of newtons. In physics, however, there is an important distinction. Weight is the pull of the Earth on an object. It depends on the distance from the center of the Earth. Weight dramatically varies if we leave the Earth's surface, unlike mass, which does not vary with location. On the Moon, for example, the...
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Reduced Mass Coordinates: Isolated Two-body Problem01:12

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In classical mechanics, the two-body problem is one of the fundamental problems describing the motion of two interacting bodies under gravity or any other central force. When considering the motion of two bodies, one of the most important concepts is the reduced mass coordinates, a quantity that allows the two-body problem to be solved like a single-body problem. In these circumstances, it is assumed that a single body with reduced mass revolves around another body fixed in a position with an...
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Apparent Weight01:09

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True weight is the measure of the gravitational force acting on an object. However, if the object accelerates, its measured weight is different from its true weight. Similar observations can be made when the object is submerged in water. An object's weight in water is its apparent weight, which is equal to the difference between its true weight and the buoyant forces.
Consider a person standing on a bathroom scale inside an elevator. If the scale is accurate at rest, its reading equals the...
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Metabolic Rate01:25

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The human body is a powerhouse of energy, with every cell performing numerous functions that require energy. This energy production and consumption is measured by the metabolic rate, which quantifies the total heat generated by all the body's chemical reactions and mechanical work. This measurement helps to determine the rate of kilocalorie (kcal) consumption needed to fuel all ongoing activities.
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Conservation of Mass in Fixed, Nondeforming Control Volume01:07

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The principle of conservation of mass is fundamental in fluid dynamics and is crucial for analyzing flow within fixed control volumes, such as pipes or ducts. This principle states that the total mass within a control volume remains constant unless altered by the inflow or outflow of mass through the control surfaces. This results in a vital relationship for steady, incompressible flow where the mass entering a system equals the mass leaving it.
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Downsizing a giant: re-evaluating Dreadnoughtus body mass.

Karl T Bates1, Peter L Falkingham2, Sophie Macaulay3

  • 1Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, University of Liverpool, Duncan Building, Daulby Street, Liverpool L69 3GE, UK k.t.bates@liverpool.ac.uk.

Biology Letters
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A recent body mass estimate for Dreadnoughtus is implausible. New modeling suggests lower body mass estimates for dinosaurs are more realistic, highlighting the need for better data on extinct giants.

Keywords:
Dreadnoughtusbody massmodellingscaling equations

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Area of Science:

  • Paleontology
  • Biomechanics
  • Macroevolution

Background:

  • Body mass estimates are fundamental to biomechanical and macroevolutionary studies in paleontology.
  • A recent study estimated the titanosaurian sauropod Dreadnoughtus at 59,300 kg using a scaling equation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the plausibility of the 59,300 kg body mass estimate for Dreadnoughtus.
  • To compare mass estimation methods for extinct animals, specifically scaling equations versus volumetric models.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a modeling approach to assess the biomechanical and volumetric plausibility of the high body mass estimate.
  • Compared derived body densities and soft tissue volumes with those of extant quadrupedal mammals.
  • Analyzed data from a small sample of other archosaurs to infer plausible mass ranges.

Main Results:

  • The 59,300 kg body mass estimate for Dreadnoughtus was found to be highly implausible.
  • Estimates exceeding 40,000 kg necessitate unrealistic body densities and soft tissue volumes.
  • Lower-end mass estimates derived from scaling equations appear more plausible, supported by volumetric data from extant animals.

Conclusions:

  • Volumetric models offer tighter constraints on dinosaur body mass compared to scaling equations.
  • Further research requires more extensive data from living animals to refine volumetric models.
  • Systematic comparison of mass predictions across diverse taxa and sizes is crucial for improving dinosaur body size studies.