 |
| Archimedes |
Archimedes was, arguably, the world’s greatest scientist – certainly the
greatest scientist of the classical age. He was a mathematician,
physicist, astronomer, engineer, inventor, and weapons-designer. As we
shall see, he was a man who was both of his time, and far ahead of his
time.
Archimedes was born in the Greek city-state of Syracuse on the island
of Sicily in approximately 287 BC. His father, Phidias, was an
astronomer.
Archimedes may also have been related to Hiero II, King of Syracuse.
Quick Guide – Archimedes’ Greatest Achievements
In the 3rd Century BC, Archimedes:
• invented the sciences of mechanics and hydrostatics.
• discovered the laws of levers and pulleys, which allow us to move heavy objects using small forces.
• invented one of the most fundamental concepts of physics – the center of gravity.
• calculated pi to the most precise value known. His lower limit for pi was the fraction 22⁄7. This value was still in use in the late 20th century, until electronic calculators finally laid it to rest.
• discovered and mathematically proved the formulas for the volume and surface area of a sphere.
• showed how exponents could be used to write bigger numbers than had ever been thought of before.
• proved that to multiply numbers written as exponents, the exponents should be added together.
• invented the Archimedean Screw to pull water out of the ground – the device is still used around the world.
• infuriated mathematicians who tried to replicate his discoveries
18 centuries later – they could not understand how Archimedes had
achieved his results.
• directly inspired Galileo and Newton when they read his work to
begin the modern scientific revolution after the Renaissance.
Archimedes’ surviving works (tragically, many have been lost) finally
made it into print in 1544. Leonardo da Vinci was lucky enough to have
seen some of the hand-copied works of Archimedes before they were
eventually printed.
• was one of the world’s first mathematical physicists, applying the advanced mathematics he developed to the physical world.
• was the first person to apply lessons from physics – such as the law of the lever – to solve problems in pure mathematics.
• invented war machines such as a highly accurate catapult, which
stopped the Romans conquering Syracuse for years. It’s now believed he
may have done this by understanding the mathematics of projectile
trajectory.
• became famous throughout the ancient world for his brilliant mind –
so famous that we cannot be sure that everything he is said to have
done is true.
• inspired what we now believe are myths including a mirror system to
burn attacking ships using the sun’s rays, and jumping from his bath,
and running naked through the streets of Syracuse shouting ‘Eureka’
meaning ‘I’ve found it’ after realizing how to prove whether the king’s
gold crown had silver in it.
