Archimedes of Syracuse

Archimedes of Syracuse
[br]
b. 287 BC
d. 212 BC
[br]
Greek engineer who made the first measurement of specific gravity.
[br]
He studied in Alexandria, after which he returned to Syracuse where he spent most of the rest of his life. He made many mathematical discoveries, including the most accurate calculation of pi made up to that time. In engineering he was the founder of the science of hydrostatics. He is well known for the discovery of "Archimedes" Law', that a body wholly or partly immersed in a fluid loses weight equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. He thus made the first measurement of specific gravity.
Archimedes also proved the law of the lever and developed the theory of mechanical advantage, boasting to his cousin Hieron, "Give me a place to stand on and with a lever I will move the whole world." To prove his point, he launched one of the biggest ships built up to that date. During his time in Egypt, he devised the "Archimedean Screw", still used today in Middle Eastern countries for pumping water. He also built an astronomical instrument to demonstrate the movements of the heavenly bodies, a form of orrery.
He was General of Ordnance to Heiron, and when the Romans besieged Syracuse, a legionary came across Archimedes drawing geometrical diagrams in the sand. Archimedes immediately told him to 'Keep off and the soldier killed him. He also experimented with burning glasses and mirrors for setting fire to wooden ships.
[br]
Further Reading
L.Sprague de Camp, 1963, Ancient Engineers, Souvenir Press. E.J.Dijksterhuis, 1956, Archimedes, Copenhagen: Munksgaard.
IMcN

Biographical history of technology. - Taylor & Francis e-Librar. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Archimedes' screw — was operated by hand and could raise water efficiently …   Wikipedia

  • Archimedes — For other uses, see Archimedes (disambiguation). Archimedes of Syracuse (Greek: Ἀρχιμήδης) …   Wikipedia

  • Archimedes Palimpsest — The Archimedes Palimpsest is a palimpsest on parchment in the form of a codex which originally was a copy of an otherwise unknown work of the ancient mathematician, physicist, and engineer Archimedes of Syracuse and other authors. Archimedes… …   Wikipedia

  • Archimedes paradox — The Archimedes paradox, named after Archimedes of Syracuse, states that an object can float in a quantity of water that has less volume than the object itself, if its average density is less than that of water. The implication of this is that a… …   Wikipedia

  • Archimedes' spiral —    Also known as Plateau s spiral. The eponym Archimedes spiral refers to the Greek mathematician and physicist Archimedes of Syracuse (297 212 BC). The eponym Plateau s spiral refers to the Belgian physicist Joseph Plateau (18011883). Both… …   Dictionary of Hallucinations

  • Archimedes' Principle —    Archimedes (287 212 B.C.) was a legend during his lifetime. He was a brilliant mathematician and an inventor of the Archimedes screw, a machine for raising water. Although the lever had been in use long before Archimedes, he worked out the… …   Dictionary of eponyms

  • Archimedes' use of infinitesimals — is the first attested explicit use. The work with infinitesimals of the ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, and engineer from Syracuse is found in the celebrated Archimedes Palimpsest. The palimpsest includes Archimedes account of his… …   Wikipedia

  • Archimedes — [är΄kə mē′dēz΄] 287? 212 B.C.; Gr. mathematician & inventor, born in Syracuse (Sicily) Archimedean [är΄kə mē′dē ən, är΄kə mi dē′ən] adj …   English World dictionary

  • Archimedes — /ahr keuh mee deez/, n. 287? 212 B.C., Greek mathematician, physicist, and inventor: discovered the principles of specific gravity and of the lever. * * * born с 290–280 BC, Syracuse, Sicily died 212/211 BC, Syracuse Legendary Greek inventor and… …   Universalium

  • Archimedes — (287 bc–212bc) Greek mathematician Archimedes father was an astronomer and he himself inherited an interest in the subject. He was educated in Alexandria and spent most of the rest of his life in his birthplace, Syracuse, under the patronage of… …   Scientists

  • Syracuse, Sicily — Infobox Settlement official name = Syracuse established title = Founded established date = 734 BC nickname = motto = website = http://www.comune.siracusa.it image seal size = 100px map caption = Location of the city of Syracuse (red dot) within… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”