He invented a planetary system, which consisted of spheres, the earth being still at the center, and twenty-seven concentric spheres rotating around the earth.
Actually, most of his accomplishments are difficult to explain at all to the nonprofessional, since they involve the complicated fields of math and astronomy. But, for those who work in those areas, Eudoxus accomplishments are extraordinary. However, what his work does is make the work today so much easier. Those who labor in those fields know the practicalities, complexities, and almost impossibility of what Eudoxus did.
Eudoxus made important contributions to the theory of proportion, where he made a definition allowing possibly irrational lengths to be compared in a similar way to the method of cross multiplying used today. A major difficulty had arisen in mathematics by the time of Eudoxus, namely the fact that certain lengths were not comparable. The theory developed by Eudoxus is set out in Euclid's Elements Book V. Definition 4 in that Book is called the Axiom of Eudoxus. (Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 2008)
G.L. Huxley, writes, in his "Dictionary of Scientific Biography,"
It is difficult to exaggerate the significance of Eudoxus' theory, for it amounts to a rigorous definition of real number. Number theory was allowed to advance again, after the paralysis imposed on it by the Pythagorean discovery of irrationals, to the inestimable benefit of all subsequent mathematics."
Similarly, Eudoxus's theory of incommensurable magnitudes (magnitudes lacking a common measure) and the method of exhaustion (its modern name) influenced Books X and XII of the Elements. Eudoxus also contributed a solution to the problem of doubling the cube -- that is, the construction of a cube with twice the volume of a given cube. (Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 2008)
Perhaps Eudoxus's greatest fame stems from his being the first to attempt a geometric model of the motions of the Sun, the Moon, and the five planets known in antiquity.
Eudoxus also wrote an ethnographical work ("Circuit of the Earth") of which fragments survive. It is plausible that Eudoxus also divided the spherical...
Meteorology The hazards that small plane pilot's face from the vagaries of weather is legendary. Some crashes like the aircraft crash of John F. Kennedy Jr. At the coast of Massachusetts in Jul 16, 1999 relates to 'conspiracy' theories, fear of sabotage and even to terrorist action. But there always will be the simple explanation of what went wrong, especially in a case where the aircraft is very vulnerable to the
Climate/Meteorology Nitrogen and oxygen are the most abundant gases in the Earth's atmosphere, accounting for a full 99% of its content. After these two gases, water vapor is second highest in concentration, followed by carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Ozone gas is also present in the atmosphere, along with a few other less common gases like Argon. The four "spheres" of the atmosphere include the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, and
Weather is one of those magical subjects that almost everyone feels comfortable talking about no matter where they and no matter to whom they are speaking. It affects one's mood in both a negative and positive fashion and its effects have been felt throughout history. It is a world unifying factor that is completely beyond the control of anyone. As compelling as weather has been throughout history little has been
Even with the fact that Ancient Greeks obviously had a limited understanding of winds, it is nonetheless intriguing to look at how they perceived conditions in which winds are more likely to occur. Wind speed is faster above the ground because it encounters less friction and winds move very fast when there is nothing to slow them down. This is why wind turbines are mounted on top of towers. Anemometers
Weather "From the beginning, slowness defined it. Tedious, plodding, grinding, unrelenting slowness…And when the storm system took an unexpected turn as it spread into the central Plains, the table was set for violent weather," (Hoedel & Gutierrez, 2012). Hoedel & Gutierrez (2012) are describing the mysterious origins of the 2011 Joplin, Missouri tornado, one of the deadliest in American history. After its tumultuous journey "down the Pacific Coast, across the California
The Gold Coast area has a reputation as a flood prone area, even without considering the effects of global climate change. The Gold Coast area comprises seven major catchment areas including the Tallebudgera, Currumbin, Nerang River, Coomera River, Pimpama River, South Moreton Bay, Sandy Creek and Broadwater area (Mirfenderesk, 2009). The Nerang River catchment is adjacent to the Tallebudgers catchment to the South. It is bordered by the Broadwater and
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now