|
|
What do you think of when you hear the name Archimedes ? A ship floating
on the sea ? Great war machines protecting
ancient Syracuse ? Water screws irrigating
the desert ? Burning mirrors
setting fire to Roman warships? Spheres, cylinders, circles, spheroids,
conoids, spirals ? Perhaps a field of cattle or a universe full of sand
? A lever to " move
the earth.' These were all things that Archimedes considered during
his life.
 Archimedes
was an ancient Greek mathematician and inventor born in Syracuse on the
island of Sicily. His birth date is estimated to be 287 B.C. by the fact
that John Tzetzes, a twelfth-century Byzantine historian, stated that he
died at the age of 75 during the sack of Syracuse in 212 B. C. 1
Archimedes was the son of Pheidias, an astronomer known for his investigations
into the sizes and distances of the sun and the moon. It was also said
by Plutarch that Archimedes was related to Hieron, King of Syracuse.
It is known that Archimedes spent some of his life in Alexandria, the
center of scientific activity during his era. It was in Alexandria that
Ptolemy I Soter (died 283 B.C.) invited a circle of philosophers and literary
men from Greece to study. He founded the "Museum" and "Library" an academy
where arts and sciences were cultivated. Scholars from Greece, Babylonia,
and Rome gathered to study under the professors of the "Museum"
Among the sciences cultivated in Alexandria were geometry, algebra,
trigonometry, astronomy, astrology, geography, surveying, mechanics, and
alchemy. The Alexandrians were generally specialists straying away from
the old Greek philosophy that "all learning" is province 2.
One of the first of the famous Alexandrian scholars was Euclid with
his Elements of Geometry and it is suspected that while Archimedes was
in Alexandria he studied with the pupils of Euclid. It is also assumed
that while in Alexandria Archimedes became friends with the Conon of Samos
and with Eratosthenes. It was to Conon that he sent his discoveries before
publication, and after the death of Conon to Dositheus of Pelusium, the
friend and pupil of Conon. Through Eratosthenes Archimedes introduced the
Cattle Problem to the mathematicians of Alexandria, and it was for Eratosthenes
that Archimedes wrote the Method 3.
Upon his return to Syracuse from Egypt, Archimedes devoted his life
to the study of mathematics. He felt that his mechanical inventions, which
were in fact what provided him with his fame, were “merely
the diversions of a geometer at play". In Plutarch's words, "he possessed
so high a spirit, so profound a soul, and such treasures of scientific
knowledge that , though these inventions had obtained for him the renown
of more than human sagacity, he yet would not deign to leave behind him
any written work on such subjects, but regarding as ignoble and sordid
the business of mechanics and every sort of art which is directed to use
and profit." 4
Because of this belief, Archimedes wrote only on strictly mathematical
subjects, with the exception of one work, On Sphere Making. It is the assertion
of Pappus that this work is a description of the construction of a devise
composed of concentric glass spheres, moved by water power, representing
the apparent motions of the planets, moon, sun, and perhaps the constellations.
It was said by Cicero that Marcellus took as booty from the sack of Syracuse
an instrument of this type. 5
It seems that it was the devotion to Hieron that induced Archimedes
to divert his mathematical studies to his engineering skills. There are
many "stories" of Archimedes' achievements in this field that are difficult
to substantiate but many indicate that the inventions were created at Hieron's
request. A well published story by Vitruvius is that of Hieron's desire
to know if all the gold he had given to a goldsmith to create a crown was
actually used instead of being substituted with an amount of silver.
The story says that the problem was presented to Archimedes causing
considerable puzzlement. While pondering the problem he visited a public
bath and noticed that the water in the tub rose in proportion to the amount
that he immersed his body into it. This indicated a solution to the problem
because Archimedes observed that by noting the difference in overflow when
the crown and equal weights of gold or silver were immersed he would be
able to distinguish if the crown were of pure gold.
| Archimedes Water
Screw Plans
|
Plan # WS1 |
Payment Information |
|
U.S. Orders Only |
$12.95
Free Shipping |
|
 Build
an Archimedes Water Screw in just one night with our easy, step by step
plans and instructions.
Great Project
Invented in Egypt by the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes , the
Archimedes Screw , or water screw , as it is commonly known, was used for
irrigation and lifting water from mines and ship bilges. The water
screw works wonderfully for science and history class assignments and science
fair projects.
Easy to Build
All TrebuchetStore.com plans use common, inexpensive and easy to find
building materials, available at your local hardware store or home center.
Basic skills and tools are required, but the straightforward designs require
no complicated layout or joinery.
TrebuchetStore.com plans come complete with:
-
Parts Shopping List
-
Measured Drawings for all parts
-
Assembly Drawings
-
Step by step Assembly Instructions
-
Step by step Operating Instructions
All the information you need to complete your project quickly and easily.
|
Save up to 50% with Multi-Plan Deals
|
| 2 Plans $19.95 FREE Shipping
- Save Over 30%
U.S. Orders Only |
|
| Do It Yourself Working Model Trebuchet Kit |
|
Trebuchet
Kit
Item #TK
|
$75.00
Free
Shipping
U.S. Orders Only |
|
The trebuchet kit includes fully precut and drilled
frame parts, pins and axles, sling cord and sewn pouch, projectiles and
fully illustrated assembly and firing instructions.
Unlike the flimsy, snap together plywood trebuchet
kits, this all hardwood trebuchet kit does not require additional cutting,
trimming or shaping.
This DIY Trebuchet Kit requires only white carpenter's
glue and a few bar clamps (not included) to assemble.
Read More
> |
| Fully Assembled Working Model Trebuchet |
|
daVinci Trebuchet
Item # T4
|
$299.00
Free
Shipping
U.S. Orders Only
|
|
Inspired by the great war machines and siege catapults of Leonardo da Vinci
, this all Red Oak
hardwood trebuchet features
an open counterweight cabinet for range and trajectory adjustment.
Fire with an empty counterweight for indoor use, or add weight (nuts,
bolts, scrap lead, iron or steel, sand, or small rocks not
included) for increased range.
Individually crafted from cabinet-grade red oak, the da Vinci Trebuchet
stands 14 inches tall in the cocked position, 24 inches tall in the fired
position and will hurl a projectile up to 60 feet. Includes six projectiles
and fully illustrated instructions.
Read More > |
|
Archimedes The Life and Work of Archimedes |
|
