What is the difference between arms and legs

[shawnba67]

Ive been bugged for awhile now on my inability to find an answer that suits me on this. What makes an arm an arm, and not a leg. If you say hands and feet, Please tell me how many arms or legs monkeys have!
(google has failed me on this silly queary)

 

[bobbittle]

Science Blog -- What Makes An Arm An Arm And A Leg A Leg

 

[hoosierdoc]

I decide.

 

[Kitty]

attachment to the torso - hip or shoulder socket?

(I'm making an uneducated guess based on 30 yr old anatomy classes)

 

[PX4me]

What's the difference? Really? How about you stand on legs. When was the last time you heard the term table arms?

 

[hoosierdoc]

I'm guessing it has to do with gravity opposition. Legs do work against gravity for locomotion, arms do not

 

[Bigtanker]

PUT. THE. WEED. AWAY!!

 

[RockofStrength]

In people, at least, legs are clearly designed to deal with the constact impact of our weight falling on them, where our arms are not. If I'm not mistaken this also holds true, if to a lesser extent, with monkeys and the like.

 

[printcraft]

How could you every be head over heels without a difference?


In the immortal words of Tears for Fears......


www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYx8IHJ9dWE

 

[eldirector]

My layman's definition:
Legs are for walking.
Arms are for holding.

Not binary, but a sliding scale. Legs are used for locomotion primarily, and manipulation is secondary. Arms are the inverse. At least that works for most land mammals that I can think of.

 

[chezuki]

Please tell me how many arms or legs monkeys have!

2 of each. What do I win?

 

[Liberty1911]

You do not have a right to bear legs.

 

[Kitty]

But I have cute legs!

 

[Bill of Rights]

But I have cute legs!

Oh, come ON!! You knew SOMEONE would post it!

 

[Kitty]

I've missed this place.

 

[Benny]

INGO is running out of topics to talk about.

 

[eldirector]

We have reached...

 

[shawnba67]

What if I walk on my hands while making a sandwhich with my feet?

Ive read the science talk link its all about genetics and how they can gene manipulate an arm into a leg.Not so much on what makes which is which.

 

[jsharmon7]

Why is an ear an ear, but a nose is a nose?