Great scientists
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Archimedes
The Greek mathematician, physicist, astronomer and inventor Archimedes (c. 287–212 BC) was one of the greatest scientists of the classical age. Born in Syracuse in Sicily, he spent most of his life there, although as a young man he furthered his education in Alexandria, Egypt. Among many inventions and mathematical advances, Archimedes calculated an accurate estimate of π (pi), the ratio between a circle's diameter and its circumference (the length of its edge). He found that it lies between 223/71 and 22/7, which in decimal figures is about 3.14. Pi is used today in many areas of mathematics, science and engineering to measure the lengths of arcs and curves, the areas of curved surfaces and the volumes of many solids. Archimedes also came up with a mathematical law ("Archimedes' Principle") which states that a body immersed in a fluid experiences a buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces (pushes aside).
The size of the Universe
Archimedes also developed a way of carrying out calculations with huge numbers, partly to investigate how many grains of sand would fit into the Universe. He suggested that a "myriad" (from the Greek word for infinity) could stand for 10,000, and then proposed a number system using a myriad myriads, or 100 million. This work suggested for the first time the enormous scale of our Universe.
“Eureka!”
The King of Syracuse, Hiero II, gave Archimedes the task of determining whether a goldsmith was stealing gold during the making of a golden wreath for replacing it with a cheap—and less dense—alloy. Archimedes took a bath and realized from the rising level of the water when he got in that he could calculate the volume of the gold wreath by immersing it in a bath and measuring the amount of water it displaced (pushed aside). Now he could compare its volume with its mass and prove whether or not it was made entirely of gold. Archimedes leapt from his bath and went running naked through the streets shouting "Eureka!" ("I have found it!").
Archimedes had discovered what later became known as “Archimedes’ Principle”. He wrote in his book On Floating Bodies (c. 250 BC) that "any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced (pushed aside) by the object." This provides the explanation for why ships float.
Inventions
Among Archimedes’ best known inventions is the compound pulley. His name is also given to the hydraulic screw, or "Archimedes Screw", which he may have introduced to Syracuse from Egypt. Rather like a corkscrew fitted inside an empty tube, when turned, water (or other materials), can be drawn up through the tube from a lower to a higher level. It is still used for irrigation in some parts of the world today.
Consultant: Mike Goldsmith