Final answer:
The femur is the largest bone in the body and accounts for about one-quarter of a person's height. The femur's length can be used to calculate a person's height, and DEXA scans can also provide height estimations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The femur, or thigh bone, is the largest bone in the body. It is also the longest and strongest bone and plays a crucial role in skeletal stability and movement. The femur contributes to approximately one-quarter of a person's total height. At the upper or proximal end of the femur is the head, which fits into the acetabulum of the hip bone to form the hip joint. On the other hand, to calculate the height of a person, various methods can be used, including estimations based on femur length. A common non-invasive method for measuring a person's body composition is Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), which can also provide an estimation of height based on skeletal measurements.