Asked by john
Spending a long time in weightlessness is unhealthy. One of the
most important negative effects experienced by astronauts is a loss of
muscle and bone mass. Since an ordinary scale won’t work for an astronaut
in orbit, what is a possible way of monitoring this change in mass?
(Measuring the astronaut’s waist or biceps with a measuring tape is not
good enough, because it doesn’t tell anything about bone mass, or about
the replacement of muscle with fat.)
most important negative effects experienced by astronauts is a loss of
muscle and bone mass. Since an ordinary scale won’t work for an astronaut
in orbit, what is a possible way of monitoring this change in mass?
(Measuring the astronaut’s waist or biceps with a measuring tape is not
good enough, because it doesn’t tell anything about bone mass, or about
the replacement of muscle with fat.)
Answers
Answered by
drwls
A centrifuge with a strain/stress gauge could be used, or the frequency of vibration on a spring could be measured.
The article at the link shown below describes the method actually used by NASA:
http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Smass.htm
The article at the link shown below describes the method actually used by NASA:
http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Smass.htm
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