Aeolipile, also known as Hero's engine, is a steam-powered device invented by the Greek engineer Hero of Alexandria in the 1st century AD. It is considered to be one of the earliest known forms of a steam engine. The device consists of a spherical boiler with two bent tubes extending outward. The tubes are bent into a rotatable sphere that contains a ball. When the boiler is heated, the steam produced is vented through the bent tubes, creating a spinning force that causes the sphere to rotate. The Aeolipile was seen as a marvel of engineering at the time of its invention and operated as a basic steam engine. The Aeolipile is an important invention in the history of technology, as it was the first recorded example of a reaction steam engine, in which steam is used to power a device. It is also significant because it demonstrates the principles of jet propulsion, a concept that would later be applied in the development of rockets and jet engines. Despite its historical significance, the Aeolipile was not widely used in ancient times, as it was primarily seen as a curiosity rather than a practical device. However, it did inspire later inventors to develop more advanced steam engines, which would go on to power the Industrial Revolution. Today, the Aeolipile is primarily of interest to historians of science and technology, as well as to enthusiasts of ancient engineering. Replicas of the device can be found in museums and science centers around the world, where they are used to demonstrate the principles of steam power and jet propulsion.
steam engine, Hero of Alexandria, jet propulsion, ancient engineering, Industrial Revolution
Aeolipile, also known as a Hero's Engine is a type of windmill-like device used as an early steam engine that generates rotational energy from the contained pressurized steam escaping from an orb-like structure. It is composed of a boiler, a cylindrical chamber, two pipes leading from the chamber, and two curved pipes at the end of each pipe. The pressure of the boiling steam creates a thrust which causes the engine to rotate, thereby producing mechanical energy. It was developed by Heron of Alexandria in the first century AD and is considered to be one of the earliest known forms of a steam engine. Equivalent words of Aeolipile in other languages include aeolipyle (French), Aeolipil (German), Aeolipilo (Italian), Aeolipilón (Spanish), Aeolipylos (Greek), Aeolipila (Latin), and Aeolipilum (Roman).
Coining variants, synonyms, and translations for “Aeolipile” such as moteur d’Héron, Heronsmaschine, macchina di Erone, máquina de Hércules, máquina de Héron, Aeolipilon, Aeolipiles, Aeolipylos, Aeolipilum, and Aeolipila can help strengthen content visibi
Aeolipile is a noun. Synonymously it can be referred to as a Hero-engine, Hero’s engine, or Hero’s-steam-engine. An antonym for this term might be a non-functional engine. Cognates include “Aeolipyle” and “Aeolipilum”. Variants of the word include “Aeolipil”, “Aeolipyle”, and “Aeolipyllum”.
Etymology Morphology Aeolipile Ancient Greek Meaning Motif Motion Machine Automaton Invention
CITATION : "George Adrian Postea. 'Aeolipile.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=221715 (Accessed on July 10, 2025)"
The term “aeolipile” has an ancient Greek origin and has remained in use for hundreds of years. The word is derived from “aeolos”, which is the Greek God of Wind and “pilos”, which means ball or sphere. It is most often associated with a device made in the 1st century AD by the Greek scientist and engineer Heron of Alexandria. This device was a primitive steam engine which contained a sphere, usually made of a type of brass, that was heated by a fire, and two pipes attached to the sphere. When the pipes were heated by the fire, steam would escape from one and be forced out of the other, thrusting the sphere forward. The use of Aeolipile as a term for this type of device has remained constant for centuries, with other names such as “hero’s engine”, “steam ball” and “sphere steam jet” being used, though Aeolipile has held the most common use. From a morphological perspective, the term is a combination of two words, “aeolos” and “pilos” and is an example of two Greek words being used to form a single word. Pragmatically, the device, Aeolipile, is used to describe a device involving a sphere, two pipes, and steam, and is a great example of an ancient invention that has remained in use for centuries.
Etymology, Morphology, Aeolipile, Ancient Greece, Heron of Alexandria
Aeolipile is a historical steam-powered engine or machine, invented by Greek engineer Hero of Alexandria around the 1st century AD. It was the first recorded example of a reaction steam engine, in which steam is used to power a device. It is composed of a pot-shaped container with two bent tubes extending outward. The tubes are bent into a rotatable sphere that contains a ball. When the steam is created and vented through the bent tubes, it creates a spinning force, causing the ball to rotate. At the time of its invention, the Aeolipile was seen as a marvel of engineering and operated as a basic steam engine.
Aeolipile, Hero of Alexandria, Steam Engine, Steam-Powered, Reaction Engine
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