Admin What were Eratosthenes contributions to geography?
Eratosthenes was the first person to use the word “geography” and other geographical terms that are still in use today, and his efforts to calculate the circumference of the Earth and the distance from the Earth to the Sun paved the way for our modern understanding of the cosmos.
Why was Eratosthenes discovery so important?
Quick Guide – Eratosthenes’ Greatest Achievements Eratosthenes produced a reliable, logical method to discover prime numbers: The Sieve of Eratosthenes. In an updated form, this is still important in modern number theory. In about 240 BC Eratosthenes calculated Earth’s size with good accuracy.
What is the greatest contribution of Eratosthenes that makes him the father of geography?
Eratosthenes made major contributions to geography. He sketched, quite accurately, the route of the Nile to Khartoum, showing the two Ethiopian tributaries. He also suggested that lakes were the source of the river.
How did Eratosthenes contribute to the knowledge and science of astronomy?
Eratosthenes is also known for his achievement in astronomy. To calculate the circumference of the Earth, Eratosthenes measured the angle of the shadow to the Earth. Until he realized this, Eratosthenes believed that the sun was so far away that its rays were parallel.
What did pytheas do?
Pytheas, (flourished 300 bc, Massalia, Gaul), navigator, geographer, astronomer, and the first Greek to visit and describe the British Isles and the Atlantic coast of Europe. He claimed to have explored a large part of Britain on foot; he accurately estimated its circumference at 4,000 miles (6,400 km).
What is meaning of Eratosthenes?
Eratosthenes Add to list Share. Definitions of Eratosthenes. Greek mathematician and astronomer who estimated the circumference of the earth and the distances to the Moon and sun (276-194 BC) example of: astronomer, stargazer, uranologist. a physicist who studies astronomy.