Inventions of Archimedes

Archimedes is, no doubt, known for his law of buoyancy, better known as the Archimedes' principle. He was a pioneer in the field of physics, with his work in hydrostatics, and the explanation of the working of a lever. He designed many innovative yet simple machines, that include the screw pump, and the claw (a kind of crane that could lift ships). A famous mathematician, he gave the most approximate value of 'pi'. Here are few of his greatest inventions.

Archimedes' Screw

According to the Greek writer Athenaeus of Naucratis, Archimedes was commissioned by King Hiero II to design a huge ship, which could serve as a luxury as well as a naval ship. This type of ship would be very large and would leak a huge amount of water through the hull. To fix the problem, Archimedes designed a machine which contained revolving screw-shaped blades inside a cylinder. It could be turned by hand or by a windmill. This device was placed on the deck of the ship and as the bottom blade of the tube turned, it lifted out a volume of water. The water would keep rising, till it poured out of the tube. This famous invention is still in use for irrigation purposes all over the world.

Claw of Archimedes

Designed by Archimedes, the claw was an ancient weapon, similar to a crane, equipped with a hook that could lift ships partly out of water, and then could either drop or capsize the ship. It was built to protect the seaward portion of Syracuse's city wall. When the enemy ships approached the city walls at night, these machines were deployed and sank many ships. Another invention of Archimedes was the catapult. This was also used along with the Claw of Archimedes to drown enemy ships.

The Archimedes' Principle

There is a widely known tale about Archimedes which tells about the method he devised to determine the volume of an irregular shaped object. Once while taking a bath, he had noticed that the level of water in the tub rose as he got in. The story goes on that a new crown was made for King Hiero II, and Archimedes was asked to check if the crown was made of solid gold, or if some silver had been added by the goldsmith. He was also asked to solve the problem without damaging the crown. This is when he decided to use the discovery he had made in his bath; that later came to be known as the Archimedes' principle. The Archimedes' principle states that a body immersed in fluid experiences a buoyant force equal to the weight of the liquid displaced. He realized that this could be put to use, while determining the volume of the crown. To solve the quandary set before him by the king, he simply divided the weight of crown by the water displaced by it.

Other Inventions

While Archimedes did not invent the lever, he was the first to explain the principle involved behind its working. He once famously remarked, "Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth." This theory helped sailors lift and move heavy loads. During the First Punic War, he also invented the odometer, a device that dropped a ball after each mile was traveled, to measure distance. His other known works are the discovery of the relation between surface and volume of air, fundamental theorems concerning the center of gravity of plane figures, the burning mirror, and the accurate value of 'pi'.

Archimedes almost found a solution to every problem that was given to him by King Hiero II. Whether it was finding impurities in gold, or to lift water with the help of screw pump, there was almost nothing he could not find a solution for. He will be remembered for his work on a various range of subjects; right from physics, mathematics and astronomy to mechanics. He was truly a genius, and his brilliance has benefited mankind manifold.