How much force is needed to bite a finger off? In 1956, tests were conducted on cadavers to determine the force needed to successfully sever a finger and scientists discovered that it takes about 1,485 newtons just to cause fractures.
“It takes quite a bit of force to completely amputate a finger. We do have a ton of dog bites that cause complete amputation of the fingers. So, it's possible [for a human] but you'd have to have someone who is pretty vicious to bite with that kind of force.”
In conclusion, while the human jaw is capable of exerting a significant amount of force, it is not strong enough to bite off a finger. The structure and design of the jaw and teeth are not suited for tearing through flesh and bone.
The average human bite force is between 120-160 PSI (pounds per square inch). However, this pales in comparison to many wild animals, many of which use their teeth not only to chew, but also to grip and tear.
It's a curious notion, but false nonetheless. In fact, it takes just about 200 newtons (a unit of force) to bite through a raw carrot and the average human has a bite force somewhere between 520 and 1,178 newtons.
Pain, bleeding, numbness and tingling may occur with any human bite. Symptoms from bites may be mild to severe, including: Breaks or major cuts in the skin, with or without bleeding. Bruising (discoloration of the skin)
According to nih.gov, most horse bites heal without emergency medical care. Rarely, horse bites crush or amputate a finger.
The jaw muscles attach to the skull and inflict stress upon it when they work. But our jaw muscles can produce a strong bite through less effort than those of other primates. As such, they inflict fewer stresses upon the skull, which can afford to abandon some of its sturdiness.
In August 1986, Richard Hofmann (b. 1949) of Lake City, Florida, USA, achieved a bite strength of 442 kg (975 lb) for approximately 2 sec in a research test using a gnathodynamometer at the College of Dentistry, University of Florida, USA. This figure is more than six times the normal biting strength.
Complications from a human bite can be very serious, including severe infection and permanently damaged bones, joints and/or tendons.
The jaws of a great white shark can inflict a bone-crunching bite of up to 1.8 tonnes, according to Australian researchers. The fearsome predator's chomp is around three times more powerful than a lion's, at least 20 times stronger than a human's and just over half as strong as Tyrannosaurus rex.
Did you know that the human jaw is capable of exerting up to 125 kg of force in a single bite? On average, the female bite registers at 50 kg, while the male bite registers at 70 kg. There is a wide variance in pressure between the front and the back teeth, with the back teeth (molars) bearing most of the stress.
The force generated during routine mastication of food such as carrots or meat is about 70 to 150 newtons (16 to 34 lbf). The maximum masticatory force in some people may reach up to 500 to 700 newtons (110 to 160 lbf).
Biting your fingernails can wear down your teeth and dental enamel. If you currently have dental braces or have had braces in the past, biting your nails can risk causing your teeth to become crooked and uneven again. Biting your nails can postpone or delay your orthodontic treatment.
Dermatophagia describes the condition of an individual with a compulsion or habit, either conscious or subconscious, that results in that person biting their own skin. The researchers considered this condition analogous to other self-mutilating disorders such as hair pulling or nail biting [5].
Compare that to the bite force of an adult T. rex—about 35,000 newtons— or to the puny biting power of humans: 300 newtons.
Mammal with the Weakest Bite Force: Anteaters
A giant anteater walking on grass. They have the lowest body temperature of any mammal.
The Tasmanian devil has the most powerful bite relative to body size of any living mammalian carnivore, exerting a force of 553 N (56.4 kgf).
What is the bite force of a human? Although we have a bite force stronger than some of our other primate relatives, the average human bite force is 162psi.
Now, let's take a closer look at why humans have such weak bites. One reason is that our jaws are smaller compared to other animals. This means that we don't have as much space for big jaw muscles . Additionally, our teeth are not as sharp and pointy as those of other animals.
To give you a comparison, humans have an average bite force of 120-140 psi, and the Nile Crocodile has a bite force of 5,000 psi. The bite force of average dogs ranges somewhere around 230-250 psi, but some have more strength. Let's focus on the dogs for now.
Could you bite your own finger off, if you really wanted to? At the knuckle, possibly, but it would be very difficult. A 2012 study of hand injuries from electric windows in cars found that an average of 1,485 Newtons of force was required just to fracture a human finger.
Donkey bites, in contrast to dog and cat bites (punctuate lesions), result in loss of tissue and crush injuries. In our case, it caused cervical muscle tearing, venous injuries and vertebral fracture. This can be explained by the fact that the force of a donkey bite is sufficiently strong.
Why Do Horses Bite Humans? Horses interact with each other through nipping and biting to show aggression, affection, or anything in between. That means even though your beloved horse might be showing you how much they love you, it could cause you injuries!