Aeolipile
notes: label: Description
content: The aeolipile, as described by Hero of Alexandria in the first century C.E., is a simple engine that spins when the water it contains is heated. In time, it would be seen as a precursor of the steam engine. This unmarked example came from the United States Military Academy and was probably used in physics demonstrations.
label: Description
content: Ref: Hamilton L. Smith, <i>Natural Philosophy for the Use of Schools and Academies</i> (New York, 1852), p. 157.
label: Description
content: C. Martin, “The aeolipile as experimental model in early modern natural Philosophy,” <i>Perspectives on Science</i> 24 (2016): 264-284.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: PH.316427
label: catalog number
content: 316427
label: accession number
content: 223721
objectType: label: Object Name
content: aeolipile
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 3 in; 7.62 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 7 1/2 in x 5 in x 3 1/8 in; 19.05 cm x 12.7 cm x 7.9375 cm