Archimedes

1995/08/02 Azkune Mendia, Iñaki - Elhuyar Fundazioa | Kaltzada, Pili - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Biografiak

(B.C. ~ 287-?

Archimedes was born in Syracuse of Sicily around 287 BC. He is undoubtedly the most prestigious scientist and mathematician of his time.

He studied in Alexandria, but did not want to stay there. He belonged to King Hieron of Sirakusa and decided to return home.

Archimedes studied the laws of the lever. He grabbed the lever and applied a small force away from the point of application. Then he lifted the great weight close to the foothold. Archimedes explained why a large stone moved through a bar, for example. Based on the principle of the lever, they then heard his famous phrase: "I will give a point of application and move the Earth."

Hearing that phrase, King Hieron disagreed. It was not possible to move the Earth with a small force, nor a great weight less than the Earth.

According to history, Archimedes built a system of pulleys and levers in the port. Subsequently, a large ship was loaded and Archimedes moved with one hand. They say that Archimedes invented the helical cylinder to draw water. It is still called the "Archimedes screw".

He did excellent mathematical work. He calculated the value of the number "pi". The ratio between circumference and diameter cost more than 223/71 and less than 220/70.

But the most important discovery was another. King Hieron once spoke to him: "Look at Archimedes. A jeweler has given me this crown. He told me it's gold, but I don't know if it's true or not. Try you. Tori. You have to try the crown without breaking."

Archimedes did not know what to do. Perhaps the crown had mixed gold and other metal. But without breaking the crown, how do you know?

For a long time he thought of Archimedes. When one day entered the bathtub the water overflowed. "Great Britain" "The volume of water that has overflowed coincides with the volume of my body inside the water. Therefore, I will first introduce the crown into the water and measure the overflow of the waters. The volume of this water will be equal to that of the crown. So I will calculate the volume of the crown."

And then, Archimedes took a second step:

"Be the volume of the crown. Therefore, now I will stay with the same volume. I will put them in balance: on one side the crown and on the other the gold of the same volume. If the crown is only gold, the balance will be in balance. If not, no. Eureka! ".

Archimedes quickly left the bathroom completely glad. He was naked in the streets of Sirakusa to the king's palace. The jeweler was slaughtered.