A waterwheel is a machine that converts the kinetic energy of flowing or falling water into useful mechanical power, typically to drive a mill, using a large wheel fitted with blades or buckets around its rim. It first appeared in the ancient Near East, in Egypt, in the 4th century BC, where it was used to lift water for irrigation. Scholars believe the earliest water wheels were norias, evolving by the 2nd century BC into the vertical watermill used in Syria and Asia Minor, from where the technology spread to Greece, the Roman Empire, China and the Islamic world.
Facts
YearSourced to the subject's own accountCited source dates the earliest waterwheel to the 4th century BCE in ancient Egypt; 350 BCE is recorded as a circa midpoint of that century, not a claim of source precision to the exact year. SignificanceSourced to the subject's own accountThe waterwheel was among the first machines to convert the continuous motion of flowing water into mechanical power, later applied to irrigation and milling across the ancient world. 1 Connections
In Field
Source Water wheel (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Waterwheel (Wikipedia)
WikipediaAncient Near East section
The water wheel first appeared in the ancient Near East, specifically ancient Egypt, in the 4th century BC.
Water-lifting in Egypt subsection
Paddle-driven water-lifting wheels had appeared in ancient Egypt by the 4th century BC.
View the Source Water wheel (Wikipedia)
In Field: Mechanical Engineering, CategoriesQuote, In Field: Mechanical Engineering, Categories
Water turbines
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