0
The most widely known anecdote about Archimedes tells of how he invented a method for determining the volume of an object with an irregular shape. According to Vitruvious, a new crown in the shape of a laurel wreath had been made for King Hiero II, and Archimedes was asked to determine whether it was of solid gold, or whether silver had been added by a dishonest goldsmith. Archimedes had to solve the problem without damaging the crown, so he could not melt it down into a regularly shaped body in order to calculate its density. While taking a bath, he noticed that the level of the water in the tub rose as he got in, and realized that this effect could be used to determine the volume of the crown. For practical purposes water is incompressible, so the submerged crown would displace an amount of water equal to its own volume. By dividing the weight of the crown by the volume of water displaced, the density of the crown could be obtained. This density would be lower than that of gold if cheaper and less dense metals had been added. Archimedes then took to the streets naked, so excited by his discovery that he had forgotten to dress, crying "Eureka!" (Greek: "εὕρηκα!," meaning "I have found it!")
The story of the golden crown does not appear in the known works of Archimedes. Moreover, the practicality of the method it describes has been called into question, due to the extreme accuracy with which one would have to measure the water displacement. Archimedes may have instead sought a solution that applied the principle known in hydrostatics as Archimedes' Principle, which he describes in his treatiseOn Floating Bodies. This principle states that a body immersed in a fluid experiences a buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces. Using this principle, it would have been possible to compare the density of the golden crown to that of solid gold by balancing the crown on a scale with a gold reference sample, then immersing the apparatus in water. If the crown was less dense than gold, it would displace more water due to its larger volume, and thus experience a greater buoyant force than the reference sample. This difference in buoyancy would cause the scale to tip accordingly. Galileo considered it "probable that this method is the same that Archimedes followed, since, besides being very accurate, it is based on demonstrations found by Archimedes himself.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Why was Archimedes important to the world?
Archimedes is especially important for his discovery of the relation between the surface and volume of a sphere and its circumscribing cyclinder. He is known for his formulation of a hydrostatic principle (known as Archimedes' principle) and a device for raising water, still used in developing countries, known as the Archimedes screw.
Why did Archimedes discover PI?
He discovered it because he was a very great mathematician of ancient history. He was smart and developed the discovery of Pi to better the world as it is today.
When was Archimedes' principle first discovered?
There isn't anywhere that lists an exact date for the discovery of the Archimedes Principle. The closest that could be found was that the special event occurred some time 2200 years ago somewhere between 287 BC and 212 BC.
Is Archimedes Archimedes' real name?
He is only known as Archimedes of Syracuse ( now Sicily).
What is the Archimedes pulley?
a pulley that Archimedes made
What was Archimedes discover?
Archimedes was a Greek Scholar, not a discovery.
What was the events leading to Archimedes discovery of gold?
The event leading to Archimedes discovery is finding gold
What year was Archimedes discovered?
Archimedes was a Greek Scholar, not a discovery.
Did Archimedes descover decimals?
No, Archimedes is not credited with the discovery of decimals. In fact, Jamish Al-Kashi is credited with the discovery of decimals.
What was the events leading to the discovery of gold?
The event leading to Archimedes discovery is finding gold
What discovery makes Archimedes famous?
This happened in the past so we say what discovery madeArchimedes famous?Archimedes discovered that an object when immersed in waterit displaces an amount of water equal to its own volume.Archimedes also invented the Archimedes screw - a device for moving water.
What role did gold play in an archimedes' great discovery?
this bloody websight
What is a famous exclamation attributed to Archimedes used to celebrated a discovery?
Eureka
A great greek mathematician and inventor the principal of buoyancy was his most famous discovery?
Archimedes
Why was Archimedes important to the world?
Archimedes is especially important for his discovery of the relation between the surface and volume of a sphere and its circumscribing cyclinder. He is known for his formulation of a hydrostatic principle (known as Archimedes' principle) and a device for raising water, still used in developing countries, known as the Archimedes screw.
What did Archimedes events leading to the discovery closed to gold?
people helped him discover it in th 1678
What are the Cases of accidental discovery in biology?
From the discovery of penicillin to the artificial sweetener in our drinks, accidental discoveries have had major impacts on our lives. T. C. Hsu's accidental discovery that mitotic cells washed with hypotonic solution can be easily squashed to visualize the chromosomes is now an important scientific technique for cytological studies. Throughout history there have been many cases of scientists who have set out to investigate one thing but instead make incredible "accidental" discoveries of another. Two examples are the discovery of penicillin, the first antibiotic, and the discovery of saccharin, an artificial sweetener. Even though it might have been luck that had brought the scientists to see an observation, it was genius that made them realize that it was a discovery.
