Human femur
The human femur is the thigh bone, connecting the hip to the knee and supporting body weight during movement.
Also known as: thigh bone, adult femur
How big is it?
45 cm · defined adult bone length
Also 17.72 in
Defined adult bone length · defined specimen
Typical recorded range: 40 cm to 50 cm.
A little perspective
Human femur vs Platypus: length comparison
The total length of a platypus is about 1.11 times the adult bone length of the human femur.
The human femur is the thigh bone, connecting the hip to the knee and supporting body weight during movement.
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal native to eastern Australia, notable for its duck-like bill and egg-laying reproduction.
Both rulers start at the same zero and share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its original proportions. Horizontal rulers compare the selected spans; vertical brackets also identify height on the artwork.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Human femur
Defined adult bone length: 45 cm; defined specimen; range 40 cm–50 cm.
A defined adult human femur 45 cm long and about 300 g as a dry bone. Length, mass and morphology vary with the person; no clinical inference is intended.
Encyclopaedia Britannica — Femur
The marked defined adult bone length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Platypus
Representative total length: 50 cm; representative; range 40 cm–63 cm.
A representative adult platypus 50 cm from bill to tail and 1.5 kg. Sex and population affect size, and the broad tail is included in total length.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — Platypus
The marked representative total length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Use the visual comparison to explore its scale, then check the measurements and sources.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 45 cm
We compare the adult bone length of the human femur. This is an illustrative comparison value, not a claim that every example is the same. The recorded range is 40 cm to 50 cm.
A defined adult human femur 45 cm long and about 300 g as a dry bone. Length, mass and morphology vary with the person; no clinical inference is intended.
The marked vertical span follows the measured feature, not the edges of the image. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 cm | 40 cm to 50 cm | defined specimen | |
| 300 g | 200 g to 400 g | defined specimen |
Around this scale
Explore nearby values.
Compare examples with lower, similar and higher values. Each card names the measurement being compared.
Nearest lower valueEveryday objectsA3 paper42 cmLengthA3 paper is an ISO 216 paper format commonly used for drawings, diagrams and small posters.
Around the same scaleLiving thingsCat46 cmBody lengthA cat is a small domesticated mammal with a flexible body, retractable claws and highly developed senses.
Nearest higher valuePeople and human anatomyNewborn baby50 cmLengthA newborn baby is a human infant in the earliest period immediately after birth.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — FemurAdult femur anatomy; the atlas uses an explicitly defined 45 cm dry-bone specimen.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
PeopleHuman1.75 mA human is a primate of the species Homo sapiens, distinguished by habitual upright walking, language and complex tool use.
Living thingsPlatypus50 cmThe platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal native to eastern Australia, notable for its duck-like bill and egg-laying reproduction.
SportBoomerang40 cmA boomerang is a curved, flat tool traditionally used for sport or hunting, designed to return to the thrower when thrown correctly.Everyday thingsA3 paper42 cmA3 paper is an ISO 216 paper format commonly used for drawings, diagrams and small posters.
SpaceSputnik 158 cmSputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite launched into Earth orbit by the Soviet Union in 1957.
PeopleHuman torso60 cmThe human torso is the central part of the body between the shoulders and hips, containing most major internal organs.
ContainersSamovar urn5 LA samovar urn is a traditional metal vessel used to heat and serve tea, especially in Russian and Central Asian cultures.
Living thingsMeerkat50 cmA meerkat is a small, social mammal from southern Africa that lives in cooperative groups and forages for insects and other small animals.