- Our mathematical & scientific heritage originated with civilizations of Middle East
- Greeks were the 1st ppl known to make models of nature
- they tried to explain patterns in nature without resorting to myth or supernatural
- Greek geocentric model (C. 400 B.C.)
Measurements:
Syene to Alexandria
- distance ≈ 5000 stadia
- angle = 7°
Calculate Circumference of Earth:
- 7/360 x (Circumference of Earth) = 5000 Stadia
- => circumference of Earth x 5000 x 360/7 stadia ≈ 250,000 stadia
- compare to modern value ≈
- Greek Stadium ≈ 116 CM => 250,00
- ≈ 42,000 KM
How did the Greeks explain planetary motion?
- Earth at center of universe - objects move on perfect spheres or in perfect circles
- Heavens must be "perfect"
But this made it difficult to explain the apparent retrograde motion of planets... over a period of 10 weeks, Mars appears to stop, back up, and then go forward again.
- the most sophisticated geocentric model was that of Ptolemy (A.D. 100 - 700)
- model had each planet move on a small circle, whose center then moves around earth on a larger circle
Which of the following is NOT a fundamental difference between the geocentric & sun-centered models of the solar system?
- D. The geocentric model is useless
How did Islamic scientists preserve & extend Greek Science?
- The Muslim world preserved & enhanced the knowledge they received from Greeks while Europe was in its Dark Ages
- Al-Mamuns House of Wisdom in Baghdad was a great center of learning around AD 800
With the fall of Constantinople in 1453, eastern scholars headed west to Europe, carrying knowledge that helped ignite the European renaissance
Islamic scientists archived and improved on Greek learning..... their knowledge was eventually carried back to Europe, helping to ignite the European renaissance
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