Physics is Everywhere Essay Ever since I was a young boy I’ve been fascinated with pyramids. I remember watching a Discovery Channel special on the ancient Egyptian king Imhotep when I was very young, and being thrilled. The idea of geometrically perfect structures of enormous size and weight, built by men without any modern machines piqued my interest at a very early age. Fortunately, when I was eleven I got a chance to see the pyramids firsthand when I took a family vacation to Egypt. As a human being, I don’t think it’s possible to stand in front of one of the Great Pyramids and not be in awe. I mean, skyscrapers are cool and everything, but there truly is nothing like looking up at something more massive than anything you’ve ever …show more content…
There are a few important steps to building a pyramid, and at least a couple of them deal with topics that we have already covered in class. So let’s take a look at them.
Unfortunately, if there was ever an ancient record of how the pyramids were built, it was probably destroyed when the library in Alexandria was burned to the ground (Rhodes). So, we kind of had to work backwards to figure it out. There is some debate among scholars as to how the pyramids were built. What everyone can agree on is this: first, the pyramid was designed and the blocks had to be cut (which we will not deal with in this analysis). Next, the blocks had to be moved up to the general location that they would be placed on the pyramid.
…show more content…
Perhaps the Egyptians weren’t conscious that putting logs under the blocks reduced the friction, thus making it easier to move uphill; maybe they just did it because it seemed to work. But, based on the fact that the pyramids are perfectly lined up with stars, I kind of get the feeling they knew exactly what they were doing most of the time. The Egyptians were able to take advantage of simple universal laws, and using nothing but bare hands and very primitive machines, they built structures that are larger than life. Even today, thousands of years later, they stand out as remarkable human achievements. From a conceptual physics point of view, physics hasn’t really changed my topic over the years, as the pyramids have been built for quite some time now and they aren’t changing. All that has changed is speculation about how they were built, which has no doubt changed to some degree in the last couple thousand years. As far as improvements for my research go, I think there is a whole lot more out there, but it’s kind of hard to come by, and rather hard to know whose opinion to trust more. Similar to the fact that the physics behind the pyramids hasn’t really changed, I don’t think it has too much in store in the future either, unless we realize that the theories we had were completely wrong. At the very least, hopefully some day we will
...sledges and track and roll. Also there are many theories of how it was constructed as Peter James stated that the old theory where Ancient Egyptians built it and manoeuvred 2.5 million of stones and laying one every three minutes is impossible it would take hundreds of thousands of workers to build. Instead he believes they were built inside out and Jean- Pierre Houdin also agrees on that. Houdin believes that the Egyptians used right angled spiral ramps to transport the blocks and build up the pyramid. There are pyramids all around the world they been constructed in a time where there is no communication between these people.
"The Great Pyramid of Giza." The Great Pyramid of Giza. Kids Know It Network, n.d. Web. 13 May 2014. .
A pyramid is an Egyptian structure and are as old as 40,000 years old. A pyramids base can either be triangular or square this affects how many sides the pyramid has. These structures were usually made out of huge limestone blocks. The Egyptian pyramids were built using ramps which spiraled around the pyramid. The average limestone block weighed around 2.5 tons.( The great pyramids and more, 2013)
The Egyptians did not use the wheel during the Pyramid Age, an invention that would have been of limited used on softer ground under heavy loads. It is a myth that sleds were dragged manually, sometimes with the help of “beasts of burden, “over smoothed roads. Some of the existing pathways were equipped with “transverse wooden beams” to lend support to the sled. How the massive blocks were raised to the height of the rising pyramid is not understood for certain. The well-constructed pyramids certainly demonstrated that the ancient Egyptians were well civilized. Many individuals at this time did not know how to build tremendous agricultural
In the third dynasty the egyptians gained more power and wealth. They wanted a way to show off their great power and wealth, so they built pyramids, pyramids were huge pointed stone structures. Pyramids contained rooms full of treasure and secret passageways. The first pyramid was the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, built for King Zoser around 2750 B.C. “The step pyramid was the only one of its kind, it was an amazing improvement from the mastaba.” ( pg 49)
This book talks about the experiential aspects of the Pyramids Of Giza, discussing how the size of the buildings, as well as the spaces and materials used, make the pyramids feel very grand, reflecting the pharaoh’s power. (Fazio 2013) suggests that the pyramids were built to such grand proportions to emphasis the power of the pharaoh in society as well as his god like status.
When the Great Pyramids at Giza were built, the Egyptians had not invented the wheel yet, but the limestone blocks that they grudgingly transported, in an effort to build pyramids, weighed about 2 tons each. If all of the stone from the pyramids was cut into one foot, square blocks, it would extend two thirds of the way around the earth. No human life forms could have possibly erected these structures using that much limestone, because they did not have the technology to work in such scale. Only aliens, with more advanced mechanical and mental abilities, could have designed and ...
Although Clifford Wilson’s theory is the best, there are still a few weaknesses throughout his argument. Wilson suggests that by using a system of pulleys, levers and ropes its is possible to construct the pyramid. With recent studies, it has been shown that if using a lever system as Wilson suggests, the fulcrum’s height must be increased, and at certain heights, the whole lever can become unstable. Another problem that is brought up is with the use of...
"Temples, tombs and pyramids - all have witnessed this earth for thousands of years. What better than to say that these architectural achievements show us that Egypt's greatest virtue lay in its architecture" (Fumeaux:11, 1964)
The construction of the Great Pyramid is still a mystery and marvel to this day, there are seven major feats that archeologists still don’t understand.
As Fall comes to a close and winter is upon us we can take an opportunity to reflect. Fall is the season of many events. For some it is the turning of the leaves that make it so memorable. For students, the excitement of a new school year and what that brings is always on the mind. Also on the mind of students, and professional fans alike, is the exhilaration and anticipation of a new season on the gridiron. This past fall I had the unique chance to document this exhilaration in a different manner. I chose to view the game of football through the eyes of science, physical science in particular. And with my own eyes, I will never view a football game in quite the same way again. Dr. Timothy Gay, a professor of physics at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln said, “Football is a manifestation of physics and it’s something people can relate to. It’s physics in action” (http://physics.unl.edu/outreach/football.html). Dr. Gay is right!
The Great pyramids of Egypt are undoubtedly one of the most recognized and admired landmarks in the world. Built to pay tribute to gods and pharaohs, the pyramids were of great importance to the Egyptians, and the mystery of their construction continues to amaze us today. Many theories pertaining to how the pyramids were built have been suggested, however, none are as well supported or intelligible as the heave-ho method of quarrying and cutting limestone. Joseph Davidovits’ theory disproving this, in which states the pyramids were moulded, is not plausible. Substantial physical evidence which is consistent with the Egyptologists’ portrayal of the heave-ho method has been found. The entire process of building a pyramid with this method is possible, as demonstrated by thorough experiments and analysis of the Egyptian culture. Indisputably, the Great Pyramids of Giza were constructed by quarrying limestone, and the use of ramps, sleds, and cutting tools, owing to the ingenuity and strength of highly organized Egyptian workers.
- [2] Redford, Donald B, Ph.D.; McCauley, M, "How were the Egyptian pyramids built?", Research The Pennsylvania State University, Retrieved 11 December 2012.
The Egyptian pyramids are ancient masonry structures with a square. base and four sloping triangular faces located in Egypt [1]. were built as tombs for the country's Pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods. As of 2008, 138 pyramids have been built. discovered in Egypt.
The pyramids of Egypt are fascinating, however, they remain to be a mystery. The well-built architecture is located in Giza, Egypt, on the west bank of the Nile River. The pyramids of Egypt are the oldest and only surviving member of ancient wonders. It is also the pride and one of the most important factors in Egyptian culture.