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Heron of Alexandria Facts & Worksheets

Born and lived around 10-70 AD, Heron of Alexandria was an ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, and engineer.

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Born and lived around 10-70 AD, Heron of Alexandria was an ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, and engineer. He worked in the city of Alexandria under the rule of Alexander the Great. Being the greatest inventor of his time, Heron created a steam turbine called the aeolipile, among other discoveries. He is also known for developing a method to calculate the square root of a number and for Heron’s formula, which is used to find the area of a triangle.

See the fact file below for more information on the Heron of Alexandria or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Heron of Alexandria worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

PERSONAL LIFE

  • Although the date at which he lived is still debated, Heron of Alexandria (sometimes called Hero) is believed to have been born in 10 AD. During his childhood, he dedicated most of his time reading inside the library of the University of Alexandria.
  • Upon reading his writings, historians concluded that Heron became a teacher at the Museum in Alexandria. It was an educational institution, which is well-known for sheltering the Library of Alexandria.
  • His works were also considered as his lecture notes during his teaching time at the Museum. These writings included discussions related to mathematics, physics, pneumatics, and mechanics. Some parts were deduced as textbooks or drafts of Heron.
  • Due to limited resources and the fact that the name Heron was very common during his time, little is known about Heron’s early and personal life.

INVENTIONS

  • Heron of Alexandria was considered the greatest experimenter of his time due to his famous automated devices. Some of these devices even represented the first formal research concerning cybernetics, although cybernetics was never considered as a field of study until the 20th century.
  • He published a very detailed description of a steam-powered machine called an aeolipile. It was also dubbed “Heron’s engine”. It is believed that he described the instrument in Roman Egypt during the first century AD. This description of the aeolipile became known as the first recorded description of a steam turbine.
  • During the first century BC, the same description about a similar engine was given by Vitruvius, although he never mentioned the rotating parts in his description.
  • Historians believed that Greek mathematician and inventor Ctesibius (285–222 BC)—who first published writing about the uses of compressed air—might have inspired the inventions of both Heron and Vitruvius.
  • Moreover, Heron of Alexandria invented the wind wheel. This invention was considered the first machine to ever harness wind energy. Heron’s wind wheel utilized wind energy in order to play the organ, one of the oldest musical instruments. This wind wheel likewise served as the cornerstone of our present-day windmills.
  • Heron was also credited for the invention of the earliest type of vending machine, which was first used to dispense holy water.
  • The machine would deposit a coin, which would fall on a pan that was connected to a lever. The coin’s weight would allow the pan to tilt and eventually dispense holy water until the coin would roll off the pan. However, the modern-day vending machine was constructed by Percival Everitt in 1883.
  • Another important invention of Heron was the formulation of the principle of least time in the field of optics. Such a principle s famously known as Fermat’s principle after the name of a French mathematician.
  • Additionally, Fermat’s principle was originally based on Alhazen’s works concerning reflection and refraction, which were based on another work of Heron, the principle of the shortest path of light.
  • Heron also made a great improvement in the well-known Greek theatre. Using the laws of mechanics, he created an entire play that lasted for ten minutes. Powered by a binary-like system of simple machines and ropes, this mechanical play managed to orchestrate magical effects on stage.
  • Furthermore, Heron’s many inventions included the hydraulic machine, dubbed “Heron’s fountain”.
  • Despite all these creations and experimentations, most of Heron’s original works and designs have been lost. Only some of them have been preserved through manuscripts.

MATHEMATICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

  • The well-known “Heron’s formula” was one of Heron’s important contributions in the field of mathematics. Described in his book, Metrica, this formula is used to calculate the area of a triangle.
  • However, some scholars assumed that such a formula was already invented even before the time of Heron of Alexandria since Metrica was just a collection of the knowledge available at the time. Other historians also believed that Archimedes of Syracuse learned about the formula two centuries earlier.
  • Consequently, Heron developed an iterative method to compute the square root of a number. This method can also be found in Metrica. In the present time, such a method is also known as the Babylonian method.
  • As a mathematician, Heron coined many geometrical terms and invented some geometrical symbols. He also found a way to solve cube roots. Furthermore, he mastered a branch of mathematics known as geodesy. This area of mathematics is now used to calculate and examine the geometric shape of the Earth, its gravitational field, and its orientation in space.

WRITTEN WORKS

  • Heron was known for his many writings. One of these books was the aforementioned Metrica, which is a series of three books. R. Schone found these books in Istanbul in 1896.
  • Metrica discussed the calculation of volumes and surface areas of various objects, including pyramids, prisms, cones, and cylinders. Geometrica, another work of Heron that served as a collection of different mathematical equations, was also based on the first chapter of Metrica.
  • Another book titled Pneumatica presented various machines that were capable of harnessing wind, steam, and water energies. It discussed the operation of mechanical instruments and toys, including the aeolipile, water organ, vending machines, puppets, and even singing birds.
  • Meanwhile, Heron’s work called Mechanica highlighted various principles, such as the theory of motion, the method of lifting and transporting heavy objects, and the calculation of the center of gravity for simple shapes. The original text was lost, but an Arabic translation of the work has been preserved.
  • Furthermore, Heron wrote a book called Automata. It described different machines that can create magical effects, particularly in temples. One of its manifestations was the invention of doors that automatically open and close.

Heron of Alexandria Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Heron of Alexandria across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Heron of Alexandria worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Heron of Alexandria who was an ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, and engineer. He worked in the city of Alexandria under the rule of Alexander the Great. Being the greatest inventor of his time, Heron created a steam turbine called the aeolipile, among other discoveries. He is also known for developing a method to calculate the square root of a number and for Heron’s formula, which is used to find the area of a triangle.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Heron of Alexandria Facts
  • Locating Alexandria
  • Find the Words
  • Fact or Bluff
  • Facts About Heron
  • Heron’s Inventions
  • Quote Analysis
  • The Aeolipile
  • Heron’s Legacy
  • Following Heron
  • In a Nutshell

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