Method and apparatus for measuring the density of an object including a living being

A method of determining the volume of an object, the steps of said method including:

• surrounding said object with a known gas,
• weighing said object at a first known temperature of said known surrounding gas,
• providing a source of said known gas at a first predetermined temperature different from said first known temperature, injecting said known gas at said first predetermined temperature towards said object, and weighing said object at said first predetermined gas temperature,
• varying the temperature of said source of said known gas to a second predetermined temperature different from said first predetermined gas temperature, injecting said known gas at said second predetermined temperature towards said object, and weighing said object at said second predetermined gas temperature,
• determining the differences in weight of said object at least at two of said different temperatures of said known gas, and
• determining the volume of said object from said difference in the weight of said object.

A method of determining the volume of an object, the steps of said method including:

• surrounding said object with a known gas at a first known temperature,
• weighing said object in said known gas at said first known temperature with a precision weight error of less than 10.sup.-5 and accuracy weight error greater than 10.sup.-5,
• varying the first known temperature of said known gas to a second temperature different from said first known temperature,
• weighing said object at said second temperature with a precision weight error or less than 10.sup.-5 and an accuracy weight error greater than 10.sup.-5,
• determining the difference in weight of said object at said first temperature and at said second temperature, and
• determining the volume of said object from said difference in weight of said object at said first and second temperatures of said known gas.

An apparatus for determining the volume of an object, surrounded by a known gas said apparatus including:

• means for measuring a first temperature of a known gas surrounding an object,
• means for weighing said object in said known gas at said first temperature,
• means for varying the first temperature of said known gas to a first predetermined temperature,
• means for weighing said object at said first predetermined temperature,
• means for varying the temperature of said known gas to a second predetermined temperature which is different from said first predetermined temperature,
• means for determining the difference in weights of said object at least at two of said temperatures of said known gas in which said object is weighed, and
• means for determining the volume of said object based on the difference in said weights.

An apparatus for determining the volume of an object, surrounded by a known gas said apparatus including:

• means for weighing said object in a known surrounding gas at a first known temperature with a precision weight error of less than 10.sup.-5 and an accuracy weight error greater than 10.sup.-5,
• means for varying the temperature of said known surrounding gas to a first predetermined temperature which is different from said first known temperature,
• means for weighing said object at said first predetermined temperature with a precision weight error of less than 10.sup.-5 and an accuracy weight error of greater than 10.sup.-5,
• means for determining the difference in weight of said object at said first temperature and said first predetermined temperature of said known gas, and
• means for determining the volume of said object based on said difference in weight of said object in said first and first predetermined temperatures of said known gas.