The spiral, despite the simplicity of the image, iscomplex and capacious in meaning symbol. Even ancient people used it as a decorative symbol, a pattern easily applied to wood, stones, clay. The shape of the spiral combines symmetry and a golden section, with visual perception it evokes a sense of harmony and beauty. The spiral, associated with the symbolism of the center, has long been the beginning of the beginnings, from where evolution, development, and the movement of life start. At one time, Archimedes drew attention to its form. Ancient Greek scientist from Syracuse studied the shape of a spirally twisted shell and derived the spiral equation. The coil drawn by this equation is named after him - the Archimedes spiral.
The Archimedes' Revolution
The curve described by a point moving withconstant speed along the beam, rotating with a constant angular velocity around its origin, is called so: "Archimedes spiral". Its construction is carried out as follows: set its step-a, draw from the center O a circle with a radius equal to the spiral pitch, the step and the circle are divided into several equal parts, numbering the division points.
Symbolism
It strikes an extraordinary variety of meaningssymbol of the spiral. It is perceived as a course and a run of time (cyclic rhythms, a change in the solar and lunar phases, the course of history, human life). The spiral is considered a sign of development, of the vital force given to us by nature. This is the desire for new levels, for your center, for wisdom. The spiral is often associated with a snake, which, in turn, embodies the wisdom of ancestors. After all, it is known that snakes are very fond of winding up rings and seem like spirals.
The spiral is close to the circle - the most ideal form ofall that nature has created. Indeed, natural and natural elements in the form of a spiral are very common in nature. These are spiral nebulae, galaxies, whirlpools, tornadoes, tornadoes, plant devices. Even the spiders spiral their webs, spiraling the threads around the center. Nature loves repetition, in its creations the same principles are used.
Spiral Archimedes and the Fibonacci sequence
Spiral symmetryI
The time factor, combined with rotation anddirected movement, forms the shape of the spiral. The spirals present in the structure of works of art are related to time, not to space. They are present mainly in patterns, less often in architecture.
Application in technology
The Archimedes' spiral is now widelyused in engineering. One of the inventions of the scientist - a screw (a prototype of a volumetric spiral) - was used as a mechanism for transferring water to irrigation canals from low-lying reservoirs. The Archimedes screw became the prototype of a screw ("snail") - a device widely used in various machines for mixing liquid, bulk and dough-like materials. The most common form is a screw rotor in a conventional meat grinder. An example of the use of the Archimedean spiral in technology is also a self-centering cartridge. This mechanism is used in sewing machines for uniform winding of threads.
Now the Archimedes' spiral deserves special attention when teaching computer graphics.
