Volume and Surface Area of the Hand

Abstract

Hand volume and surface area were measured on 30 subjects (28 male) between the ages of 18 and 25. Volume of the preferred hand averaged 379.7 cc (100%) while the non-preferred volume was 371.6 (97.9%); the 2.1% difference is statistically significant. Mean hand volume was 375.65; assuming the hand has little fat and thus a density of 1.09 g/cc is appropriate, a weight of 409.6 g; for these subjects one hand was an average of .56% of body weight. Surface area was measured photographically. Mean surface area for one hand (spread) was .054 square m (2.9% of Dubois surface area); for a fist it was .043 sq m (2.3% of Dubois).