Blaise Pascal's Barometer
Many people agree that the study of physics is as old as the study of astronomy, if not older. This is because physics studies the natural physical phenomena that happen on earth and objects connected to it. The study of astronomy is greatly related to the study of physics because astronomy studies the earth's place in the universe and the phenomena involved in its spinning on axis and rotation around the sun.
The natural or physical phenomena of the earth and its objects were being observed by all civilizations. However, it was Aristotle who first started a concrete and exclusive study of physics. Aristotle believed and taught his students that in studying the earth's physical phenomena, they would
be able to figure out the laws that govern what happens on earth and how it affects the objects connected to it. They sought reasons behind the observable actions that they saw. Understanding this process will help you and your child understand what drives physics as a science (a good example is discussed below: Aristotle's Magnetism.)
Through observation, Aristotle and his fellow Greeks were able to observe gravity. They also observed the movements of celestial bodies, attributing these physical movements to something that was natural for these objects. Aristotle even came up with a theory of impetus, which when closely
studied is the predecessor to the theories of inertia and momentum. Despite all their best efforts of observation, it wasn't until much later on when Isaac Newton bridged the gaps of gravity, force, and motion through mathematics was physics propelled towards what it is today.
Aristotle's Magnetism
Aristotle attributes this discovery to Thales. But because the records are his, he is often attributed with its discovery as well. Though the philosophers of ancient Greece marveled at the first magnetic stone they found and thought it to be one of a kind, in reality, ancient civilizations from all over the world were slowly noticing strange stones that seemed to attract other stones or metals. Now known as the lodestone, this natural magnet would point in a northâsouth direction when allowed to rotate freely. No one really knew how it came to be that these stones acted this way and so for a long
time, magnetism was attributed to magic or mystic forces.
As more and more stones were found, early scientists and civilizations began using magnets for the purposes that they would see fit. They used magnets mainly for navigational purposes and fortune telling. Some records also show that magnets were used in building or construction, as well as for surgical or medical purposes. Aside from these uses, however, scientists sought to find out the reasons behind a magnet's force, and how it came to be that some stones can become magnets while otherscannot.
Now we now know that magnetism is a result of a certain motion of electrons within an atom, creating a force that attracts or repels certain objects. We have learned that magnetic force can be passed on through objects, and that objects which exhibited no sign of magnetism before can now be magnetized. The discovery of magnets is one of those that helped further science. It is one of the quintessential stories of the study of physics: the observation of a natural phenomenon, trying to find the rules that govern this phenomena, and now using these rules to influence our environment to our advantage.
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