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Question
When the skeleton of an elephant and the skeleton of a mouse are prepared in the same size, the bones of the elephant are shown thicker than those of the mouse. Explain why the bones of an elephant are thicker than proportionate. The bones are expected to withstand the stress due to the weight of the animal.
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Solution
The elephant has a greater weight than a mouse, but the material that makes their bones is the same. This means that in order to sustain an elephant's weight, one's bones need to suffer less stress. Stress = Force/area. A greater cross-sectional area reduces stress on the bones. This is why an elephant's bones are thicker.
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