What do cremated remains weigh

TIP: Don't try to figure out how much an urn holds by the external measurements of the urn. Some urns have decorative overhangs, rounded edges, or other features that add size to the urn without expanding the capacity. Look on each product page for the dimensions to find the external measurements, but also look for the capacity , which will be listed using cubic inches.

Learn more here. As mentioned above, there are several considerations that may affect the amount of ashes resulting from cremation. Since organ tissue, skin, fat, and fluids are burned up during the cremation process, the "remains" or "ashes" will consist of bone material. Overall, the simple formula of 1 lbs body weight to 1 cubic inch of remains is the simplest method to get an accurate gauge of how much remains there will be after cremation.

If the person is extremely thin or overweight, using a "healthy body weight" chart will help you get a pretty accurate idea of the amount of ashes. Simply measure the length, depth, and height of the container holding the remains, then multiply the sides together to get the total cubic inches. For example, a typical size for a "temporary urn" cardboard or plastic box received from the funeral home is 8. Multiply these numbers together, and you'll see that the plastic or cardboard container holds a maximum of So if you have the remains in a box like this, just about any standard sized cubic inch urn will work just fine.

Typically, the remains from an average adult will weigh about pounds. The exact percentage of each element or compound within cremation remains or ashes varies from person to person. No two samples of human ashes will be precisely the same in terms of elemental composition. This is further seen while turning these ashes into diamonds that no two cremation diamonds are the same.

After cremation, the remains or ashes are moved to a cooling container. Large metal components such as hip joints are removed, and a magnet is passed over them to remove any smaller metallic components. The bone fragments are then reduced to a uniform pale to dark grey powder similar in appearance and texture to coarse sand. This comparison to coarse sand is very different from what many expect human ashes will look like after cremation. Many people expect a light, flaky material similar to wood ash.

This misunderstanding comes from the fact that cremated remains are primarily bone. Soft tissues are consumed in the intense heat of the cremation process thus the ashes produced is made mainly of bones.

The fact that cremation ashes consist mainly of bone means that height, rather than the weight, determines how much ashes a cremated body makes. The average adult male result is about six pounds of cremated remains. This is around two pounds more than an adult female. Cremation ashes take up about cubic inches of volume on average. The remains or ashes are usually taken to the family of the deceased as soon as possible after cremation.

Most crematoriums take between two and ten days for the remains to be ready for collection by the family. Cremation is usually carried out near to the place of death or when the body is transferred to a crematorium and involves breaking down the cadaver to ashes in a chamber designed to withstand high temperatures. The length of time needed for this depends on a number of factors such as the time of day, type of crematorium technology and size height and weight of the cadaver.

On average, the entire cremation process takes between one and a half to four hours. Before cremation can begin the crematorium technician should have obtained the consent of the closest surviving member s of the deceased. It is also necessary to secure a medical certificate from the coroner or the doctor stating the cause of death for cremation to take place.

This is because, obviously after cremation with all turned to ashes, the body cannot be exhumed as can occur with a traditional ground burial. Firstly, it is important for the cremator to remove any materials, such as a pacemaker, that would cause an explosion during cremation. A funeral service is then usually held in the chapel with family and friends in attendance. After the service, the casket is moved to the crematorium where details and identity are recorded. The casket, which is made up of flammable materials, is then placed in the crematorium chamber.

Temperatures in the chamber rise steadily to an average of degrees Fahrenheit. You may surely ask yourself what to do with the remains after cremation if your are new to this but well, the remains or ashes are placed in a cooling chamber and later removed to a transfer container. Metallic residues are removed from the remains for recycling. The remains are then reduced and moved to a suitable container that is labelled for identification.

Finally, the ashes are put in an urn and taken to the family of the deceased, or collected. The family can then decide on how to dispose of the ashes in accordance with the wishes of the deceased. Cremation is perhaps the most ethical and cost-effective way of disposing of remains or ashes, both human and animal, and takes place within the same range of temperature.

In both cases, you will find almost the same chemical composition of ashes. The only difference is the length of time involved. Clearly, small animals, such as a rabbit or cat will take a shorter time to cremate compared to larger animals, such as horses.

During cremation, only one body can be cremated at a time unless there is a special arrangement to cremate family members who died together. However, crematoriums will conduct mass cremations for more than one animal. Human beings are usually cremated in privately owned crematoriums near funeral homes.

They are frequently free standing wall structures that have niches for placement of the urn or other container. Sometimes a columbarium can also contain more than one container or some small possessions of the deceased. There are any number of locations to scatter ashes. They can be common ones made of marble or brass. You can choose a biodegradable urn or tree urn , which are environmentally friendly options.

For couples, companion urns allow for the ashes of both people. If you have unfortunately lost a child early, you may want a baby urn. They are either mixed into the materials used to make the jewelry or they can be inserted into it called Keepsakes. Using some of the cremains and the specialized skill of an artist, a glass or silver memorial is created. Cremation glass art is a particularly popular option for creating paperweights, vases, orbs, and many other memorials. Did you know that you can turn ashes into diamonds?

These diamonds have become a very popular method for memorializing a loved one. Just like with human remains, you probably will want to do something with the remains of your pet. If you need some information about cremating a pet , be sure to check out our dog cremation and cat cremation guides.

For those looking for some inspiration on what to do, read our recent article about dog memorial ideas. You will be sure to find something that tickles your fancy. A dog headstone is also a wonderful way to always remember your little friend. Some of our guides above for dogs can most certainly be used for cats as well.

But if nothing seems to be perfect, you can check out our cat urns guide. Spreading or otherwise known as scattering the remains is one of the most common send offs. Frequently, the main question is where you should scatter them.

Below are only a few of the countless places to consider. Remember that some places may forbid scattering or you might have to obtain special permission. Ask the local authorities in advance. There are some guidelines to follow:. It has to be packaged in inner and outer sift-proof containers with ample padding so that the contents do not move around. In addition, you should place a label with the identity of the contents on the outside of the box.

The postal service has these available. The postal service also has all the instructions on their website or you can download them at their publication It should be packaged the same as with domestic, shipped First-Class Package International services, and use Registered Mail service. Check the particular airline you will use for any specific policies regarding the transport of ashes as carry-on or as cargo.

Some airlines require advance notice and may require documents such as a death certificate. If traveling internationally, you might need export paperwork from your embassy. My husbands ashes were placed in a casket, inside a metal container six years ago in an agreed cemetery.. At that time I was happy that they were there. Is this possible, provided the casket is still intact, and are there formalities attached to doing this eg permissions other than family members of course, who are support of my desire to exhume the ashes.

S HTaylor. But why are one persons cremains a lighter color than anothers? Is it the body or the cremation process that causes one to be more white and another persons to be more dark grey? Have been for 18 years. Have cremated hundreds of people. Usually around pounds, if that much. The volume of cremated remains varies with the temperature of the crematory. It is possible that there be very little cremains, next to nothing.

The cremated remains of an adult male will usually weigh around six pounds while the remains of an adult female will be closer to four pounds. The height of the deceased rather than their weight has a strong correlation with the weight of the ashes produced through cremation.

Although cremated remains are commonly called ashes , in truth they are comprised of pulverized bone fragments.

Since absolutely no organic material remains after cremation, human ashes do not present any sort of health hazard to the living or the environment.

There may however be some minor traces of materials that were with the body during cremation such as implants, fillings, coffin fittings, and so on, but these will most likely be detected and removed when the ashes are passed through the magnetic field after processing.

The only thing remaining of the human body after cremation is part of the skeletal structure and occasionally small amounts of salts and minerals. The human skeleton is composed mostly of carbonates and calcium phosphates. These elements give bone its extraordinary strength and durability and allow it to survive the intense heat required for cremation when all other body tissues are destroyed.

In addition to these compounds, it is very common to find trace elements, particularly metals, in bone fragments. Interestingly, the exact percentage of certain elements within the cremated remains varies according to the individual. No two samples of human ashes will be precisely the same in terms of elemental composition. This is due to the fact that a multitude of environmental factors can influence absorption.

For instance, highly industrialized areas that experience acid rain will have a lower water pH. This lower pH allows for elements including copper, lead, and cadmium to potentially enter the drinking water and thus be ingested by people residing in the area.

For similar reasons, people of lower socio-economic status who live near factories experience increased exposure to heavy metals. Diet can also influence the elemental composition of human ashes.

For example, people who follow a vegetarian diet are likely to have higher levels of the element strontium in their ashes. The necessity of these metals is precisely why most commercially available multi-vitamins include them. Other elements that could be present in human ashes in varying levels include arsenic, lead, silver, potassium, lithium, selenium, and vanadium. The variability of the elemental composition of human ashes means that each sample of cremated remains is entirely unique.