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The ancient Greek physicist, mathematician, and engineer Archimedes made many geometric discoveries, laid the foundations of hydrostatics and mechanics, and created inventions that were the starting point for the further development of science. Legends of Archimedes were created during his lifetime. He spent several years in Alexandria, where he met and became friends with many other great scholars of his time.
See the fact file below for more information on the Archimedes or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Archimedes worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
EARLY LIFE
- Archimedes was born in the Greek city-state of Syracuse on the island of Sicily in 287 BC. His father, Phidias, was an astronomer. He may also have been related to Hiero II, King of Syracuse.
- Archimedes spent most of his life in Syracuse. His primary education in science allegedly came from his father. After living for several years in Alexandria, Archimedes returned to Syracuse and lived there until the end of his life.
- Much less is known about the personal life of the scientist than about his science.
- The legend tells that once Hieron II decided to present as a gift to Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, a multi-deck ship. The water vessel was decided to be called “Syracuse”, but it could not be launched into the water.
- In this situation, the ruler turned to Archimedes. From several blocks, he built a system by which the descent of the heavy vessel was accomplished with one hand movement. According to the legends, during this movement Archimedes said: “Give me a place to stand, and a lever long enough, and I will move the world. ”
DISCOVERIES AND INVENTIONS
- Engineering. He invented the sciences of mechanics and hydrostatics. He also discovered the laws of levers and pulleys, which allow us to move heavy objects using small forces.
- The scientist actively developed mechanical structures. He set out a detailed theory of levers and effectively used this theory in practice, although the invention itself was known before this.
- In particular, on the basis of knowledge in this area, he made a number of block-lever mechanisms in the port of Syracuse.
- These devices simplified lifting and moving heavy loads, allowing one to speed up and optimize port operations.
- The “Archimedean screw”, which is designed for scooping out water, is still used in Egypt today.
- Math and physics. He calculated pi to the most precise value known. His upper limit for pi was the fraction 22⁄7. He discovered and mathematically proved the formulas for the volume and surface area of a sphere.
- Discoveries in the field of mathematics were a real passion of the scientist. According to Plutarch, Archimedes forgot about food and self-care when he stood on the threshold of another invention in this area.
- Archimedes saw his proof of the volume of a sphere as his greatest personal achievement. Archimedes gave instructions that his proof should be remembered on his gravestone.
- Archimedes’ principle. King Hieron II had a pure gold crown made, but he thought that the crown maker might have tricked him and used some silver. Heiron asked Archimedes to figure out whether the crown was pure gold. Archimedes took one mass of gold and one of silver, both equal in weight to the crown. He filled a vessel to the brim with water, put the silver in, and found how much water the silver displaced.
- This method was discovered by Archimedes when he saw the water in his bathtub rise as he got in. The story that he got so excited that he rushed out naked shouting “Eureka!” (“I have found it!”) is believed to be a later embellishment to the story.
- Archimedes became the inventor of the first planetarium. With the device he invented, we can observe: the rising of the moon and the sun; the movement of the five planets; the disappearance of the moon and sun beyond the horizon line; and the phases and eclipses of the moon.
DEATH AND LEGACY
- Archimedes died during the conquest of Syracuse in 212 BC when he was killed by a Roman soldier.
- Archimedes actively used engineering knowledge to help his people win. He designed throwing machines, with the help of which the warriors of Syracuse bombarded their opponents with heavy stones.
- The scientist helped his countrymen in naval battles. The cranes designed by him captured the enemy ships with iron hooks, lifted them slightly, and then abruptly threw them back. Because of this, the ships overturned and sank.
- Thanks to the efforts of Archimedes, the hope of the Romans to storm the city failed. Then they decided to proceed to the siege. In the autumn of 212 BC, the colony was taken by the Romans as a result of treason. Archimedes was killed during this incident. According to one version, he was cut down by a Roman warrior whom the scientist attacked for stepping on his drawing.
- Today, we do not know where Archimedes’ tomb is – it has been lost, probably forever. Much of his work has also been lost forever, but what we know of it leaves us in awe of his achievements.
Archimedes Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Archimedes across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Archimedes worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the ancient Greek physicist, mathematician, and engineer Archimedes who made many geometric discoveries, laid the foundations of hydrostatics and mechanics, and created inventions that were the starting point for the further development of science. Legends of Archimedes were created during his lifetime. He spent several years in Alexandria, where he met and became friends with many other great scholars of his time.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Archimedes Facts
- The great scientist
- “I will move the world”
- Terms Puzzle
- Personality
- The story of the golden crown
- Unexpected inventions
- Design your device
- Life story
- Eureka!
- Top questions about Archimedes
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Link will appear as Archimedes Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 1, 2019
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.