The world’s greatest scientist and mathematician entered the world in 287 BC in Syracuse, where Archimedes lived most of his life. He also spent some time in Alexandria and Egypt. Archimedes was a distant cousin of Hiero the 2nd, who was the ruler of Syracuse at that time. Hiero’s rule was a long and peaceful rule, so it gave Archimedes time to invent. Hiero would sometimes seek out his cousin for advice on military matters. Archimedes was an unequaled mathematician; he invented the sphere and cylinder, measurement of a circle, the equilibrium of planes and the sand-reckoner. These inventions were just a few of Archimedes undeniably creative and life changing inventions.
Modern day Greece is a small country at the southeastern edge of Europe, projecting into the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. In ancient times there was no Greek nation. In fact, Greeks didn’t just live in Greece; they also lived in what are now Italy, Spain, parts of Middle East Asia and North Africa. The Greeks loved athletics. The most well know games in Greece and around the world were held in Olympia, and can you guess what the games were called? If you guessed Olympic Games, you were right. The Olympics were held every four years. In the beginning the games were mainly short races. While the Olympics grew, javelin, discuss throwing, wrestling, boxing and chariot racing were added to make the games more exciting.
Archimedes invented many astounding things. One of them was The Screw, which is also known as the Archimedes Screw. Archimedes was in Egypt when he invented the Screw, a pump like image to make it easier to raise water. A pipe was twisted in the form of a corkscrew and then was placed in a cylinder. Then the pipe was turned at its axis, like and elbow, the screw pumped water from one level to another. This invention was most helpful when trying to get water out of the bottom of a flooded boat. There is also another invention that Archimedes did to help his cousin King Hiero, the King wanted a crown made out of pure gold, when the crown came Hiero suspected that the contractor had cheated him by using cheaper silver with gold. King Hiero asked his cousin Archimedes if he would try to see if it was real without melting down the crown. So Archimedes went to the public baths while pondering what to do, noticing how his body as well as others displaced the water in the pool, the answer suddenly came to him. And it was said that he just up and ran naked through the town crying “Heureka, I’ve found it!” He went home and filled a basin full of water and dropped in separate masse of gold and silver, thus discovering that silver has twice as much mass as gold. As a result Archimedes was able to detect the fraud of the contractor.
The Archimedes screw is used in some of the poorest countries even today. We also still use pie in Math and the Equilibrium of Planes. His inventions were incredibly helpful back in ancient Greece, but we don’t use a lot of them today. When the war was going on between Rome and Carthage, which also know as the second Punic war, Archimedes was in his room deep in thought. He didn’t know that he city was being captured and ruined. The leader of the Romans did not want Archimedes to be killed, he wanted Archimedes to come and help the Romans once they took over Syracuse. But as Archimedes was in his room a Roman Solider sneaked in and didn’t recognize Archimedes so he killed him. Archimedes was and most likely always will be one of the most accomplished scientists and mathematician the world has ever known.
Modern day Greece is a small country at the southeastern edge of Europe, projecting into the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. In ancient times there was no Greek nation. In fact, Greeks didn’t just live in Greece; they also lived in what are now Italy, Spain, parts of Middle East Asia and North Africa. The Greeks loved athletics. The most well know games in Greece and around the world were held in Olympia, and can you guess what the games were called? If you guessed Olympic Games, you were right. The Olympics were held every four years. In the beginning the games were mainly short races. While the Olympics grew, javelin, discuss throwing, wrestling, boxing and chariot racing were added to make the games more exciting.
Archimedes invented many astounding things. One of them was The Screw, which is also known as the Archimedes Screw. Archimedes was in Egypt when he invented the Screw, a pump like image to make it easier to raise water. A pipe was twisted in the form of a corkscrew and then was placed in a cylinder. Then the pipe was turned at its axis, like and elbow, the screw pumped water from one level to another. This invention was most helpful when trying to get water out of the bottom of a flooded boat. There is also another invention that Archimedes did to help his cousin King Hiero, the King wanted a crown made out of pure gold, when the crown came Hiero suspected that the contractor had cheated him by using cheaper silver with gold. King Hiero asked his cousin Archimedes if he would try to see if it was real without melting down the crown. So Archimedes went to the public baths while pondering what to do, noticing how his body as well as others displaced the water in the pool, the answer suddenly came to him. And it was said that he just up and ran naked through the town crying “Heureka, I’ve found it!” He went home and filled a basin full of water and dropped in separate masse of gold and silver, thus discovering that silver has twice as much mass as gold. As a result Archimedes was able to detect the fraud of the contractor.
The Archimedes screw is used in some of the poorest countries even today. We also still use pie in Math and the Equilibrium of Planes. His inventions were incredibly helpful back in ancient Greece, but we don’t use a lot of them today. When the war was going on between Rome and Carthage, which also know as the second Punic war, Archimedes was in his room deep in thought. He didn’t know that he city was being captured and ruined. The leader of the Romans did not want Archimedes to be killed, he wanted Archimedes to come and help the Romans once they took over Syracuse. But as Archimedes was in his room a Roman Solider sneaked in and didn’t recognize Archimedes so he killed him. Archimedes was and most likely always will be one of the most accomplished scientists and mathematician the world has ever known.
Bibliography:
Nardo, Don (1999). Scientist of Ancient Greece. San Diego: Lucent Books, Inc. (Nardo 1999 pg. 72-73)
Cohen, Dan (1990). Ancient Greece. New York, Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. (Cohen, 1990 pg.12-15)
Date: August 2009
