Post by Islamic Revival on Aug 11, 2004 16:30:45 GMT -5
Ibn al Haytham was one of the greatest physicists, whose work on optics, compiled in his book, “Kitab-al-Manazir” which was translated by Roger Bacon, had a great influence on Kepler and other European scientists. He prepared tables of corresponding angles of incidence and refraction of light passing from one medium to another, and thus paved the way for the discovery of the law of refraction later by Smell. He accounted correctly for twilight as due to atmospheric refraction and deduced the height of the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth. He explained the laws of formation of images in spherical and parabolic mirrors, and the causes of spherical aberration and magnification produced by lenses. “He gave a much sounder theory of vision than the Greeks, and was able to solve a number of advanced questions in geometrical optics”. (Sarton, Introduction to the History of Science, Vol. 1, pg. 721).
Thabit ibn Qurrah’s original work on mechanics and physics involves examining conditions of equilibrium of bodies, beams and levers. He was the first one to propose that a body moves perpetually, unless an external force is applied to stop it, or to change its direction of motion. He has also discussed the theories of attraction between masses and appears to be aware of the concept of gravity.
Ibn Sina, who is regarded as one of the greatest savants, philosophers, and scientists of all time was a keen experimental worker, and made numerous investigations on specific gravity. He designed a simple device similar to that of the modern vernier for increase in the accuracy of measuring lengths. Despite the fact that very little correct data was available, he tackled such abstract physical subjects as the nature of motion, force, vacuum, light and heat, and arrived at sound conclusions. He recognized, for instance, that the velocity of light was finite, and that it was not possible to transmute the elements by chemical methods.
Omar Khayyam, the great mathematician, was another Muslim scientist who worked on the problem of specific gravities. In mechanics, the Muslims improved the hydrostatic balance, the Alexandrian hydrometer, and the Syrian water-wheels. The “Mizan-al-Hikmah” (The Balance of Wisdom) by Al Khazini is a masterly treatise on mechanics as far as it was developed up to the twelfth century. It deals with the theory of balance from an application from the theorem of movements and discusses the buoyancy of liquids and of air. “It gives correct explanation of the weight of material bodies as caused by a universal pull towards the center of the earth. It may be noted that this explanation was given about 600 years before the promulgation of Newton’s theory of gravitation.”
(N. Khanikoff, Journal of American Oriental Society, Vol.VI, New Haven, 1859).
Reproduced from 2004 Calendar: The Great Legacy by PharmEvo.
pharmevo@cyber.net.pk
Thabit ibn Qurrah’s original work on mechanics and physics involves examining conditions of equilibrium of bodies, beams and levers. He was the first one to propose that a body moves perpetually, unless an external force is applied to stop it, or to change its direction of motion. He has also discussed the theories of attraction between masses and appears to be aware of the concept of gravity.
Ibn Sina, who is regarded as one of the greatest savants, philosophers, and scientists of all time was a keen experimental worker, and made numerous investigations on specific gravity. He designed a simple device similar to that of the modern vernier for increase in the accuracy of measuring lengths. Despite the fact that very little correct data was available, he tackled such abstract physical subjects as the nature of motion, force, vacuum, light and heat, and arrived at sound conclusions. He recognized, for instance, that the velocity of light was finite, and that it was not possible to transmute the elements by chemical methods.
Omar Khayyam, the great mathematician, was another Muslim scientist who worked on the problem of specific gravities. In mechanics, the Muslims improved the hydrostatic balance, the Alexandrian hydrometer, and the Syrian water-wheels. The “Mizan-al-Hikmah” (The Balance of Wisdom) by Al Khazini is a masterly treatise on mechanics as far as it was developed up to the twelfth century. It deals with the theory of balance from an application from the theorem of movements and discusses the buoyancy of liquids and of air. “It gives correct explanation of the weight of material bodies as caused by a universal pull towards the center of the earth. It may be noted that this explanation was given about 600 years before the promulgation of Newton’s theory of gravitation.”
(N. Khanikoff, Journal of American Oriental Society, Vol.VI, New Haven, 1859).
Reproduced from 2004 Calendar: The Great Legacy by PharmEvo.
pharmevo@cyber.net.pk