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Watch How an Elephant was Rescued Using Archimedes’ Principle

Team StoryWeavers|February 28, 2022, 11:53 IST|

There are a lot of instances of human beings saving the lives of animals in heroic ways and we have one such video with us which is the perfect example of that. A video of a group of forest rangers rescuing an elephant from a ditch has surfaced online. Moreover, the animal was saved by applying the Archimedes’ principle. Well, you will have to watch the video and see it to believe it!

The incident happened when an elephant fell into a ditch in Midnapore in West Bengal. It was stuck as the pit was quite deep. So, to rescue the elephant, a team of forest rangers brilliantly filled the pit with water. The water obviously made the elephant float to the top and, with the help of ropes, the team was able to retrieve the elephant from the ditch.

Phew! Science saved the day!

Who was Archimedes?

Archimedes was possibly the world’s greatest scientist — at least in the classical age. He was a physicist, mathematician, astronomer, inventor and engineer. Many of his inventions, theories and concepts are still in use today. Perhaps his best-known achievement was his “Eureka” moment when he discovered the principle of buoyancy.

Also check out: Why Does a Heavy Ship Float on Water While a Small Pin Sinks?

‘Eureka! Eureka!’

Archimedes has gone down in history as the guy who ran naked through the streets of Syracuse shouting “Eureka!” — or “I have it!” in Greek. The story behind that event was that Archimedes was charged with proving that a new crown made for Hieron, the king of Syracuse, was not pure gold as the goldsmith had claimed.

Archimedes thought long and hard but could not find a method for proving that the crown was not solid gold. Soon after, he filled a bathtub and noticed that water spilt over the edge as he got in and he realized that the water displaced by his body was equal to the weight of his body. Knowing that gold was heavier than other metals the crown maker could have substituted in, Archimedes had his method to determine that the crown was not pure gold. Forgetting that he was undressed, he went running naked down the streets from his home to the king shouting “Eureka!”  

Also read: Why Is the Titanic Still at the Bottom of the Ocean?

What is The Archimedes’ Principle?

Archimedes’ principle states that:

“The upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether partially or fully submerged, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces and acts in the upward direction at the centre of mass of the displaced fluid”.

Now let’s simplify that! If a glass is filled to the top with water and then ice cubes are added to it, what happens? Just like the water spilled over the edge when Archimedes entered his bathtub, the water in the glass will spill over when ice cubes are added to it. If the weight of the water that spilled out was calculated (weight is a downward force), it would equal the upward (buoyant) force on the object.

Archimedes Principle Applications

Some of the applications of Archimedes principle:

Submarine

The reason why submarines are always underwater is that they have a component called a ballast tank which allows the water to enter, making the submarine remain in its position underwater as the weight of the submarine is greater than the buoyant force.

Hot-air balloon

The reason why hot-air balloons rise and float mid-air is because the buoyant force of the hot-air balloon is less than the surrounding air. When the buoyant force of the hot-air balloon is more, it starts to descend. This is done by varying the quantity of hot air in the balloon.

Hydrometer

A hydrometer is an instrument used for measuring the relative density of liquids. It consists of lead shots which makes it float vertically on the liquid. The lower the hydrometer sinks, the lesser the density of the liquid.

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About the Author


Raza has been writing since 2008, be it fiction, poetry, or articles on science, politics, and history. He believes that words can change the world, and he uses them to inspire and empower people through his writing. When he is not working, he is watching nature documentaries or playing with his cats.

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