Please Join the Mathematics Department for a Colloquium
Archimedes'
Principle and Capillarity
By
Dr. John McCuan
Thursday, MARCH 19, 3:00 pm
Coffee and Cookies @ 2:30 pm
D235
Abstract
Archimedes
principle may be used to predict if and how certain solid objects float in a
liquid bath. The principle, however,
neglects to consider capillary forces which can sometimes play an important
role. We describe a recent
generalization of the principle and how the standard textbook presentation of Archimedes'
work may have played a role in delaying the discovery of such generalizations
to this late date.
