Lesson 6: Contribution of Arabs, Chinese and Indians Flashcards
When did the rise of Islamic Science have its acme?
between the 8th and 16th centuries
What is the period when Islamic Science had its acme nominally known as?
the Islamic Golden Age
Who made the camera obscura and the pinhole camera?
Ibn al-Haytham
What years were Ibn al-Haytham’s birth and death?
965; 1040
What is Ibn al-Haytham’s Latinized name?
Alhazen
Where was Ibn al-Haytham born?
Basra, Iraq
Which dynasty was Basra, Iraq a part of during Ibn al-Haytham’s time?
Buyid Dynasty
Who was the first to discover the laws of refraction?
Ibn al-Haytham
Who founded the modern scientific method?
Ibn al-Haytham
Where was the first astrolabe invented?
in either ancient Greece or India
To whom can the first astrolabe in the Muslim world be attributed to
Fazari
What years were Fazari’s birth and death?
746; 777
What were astrolabes in the Muslim world made of?
brass
What were astrolabes developed for?
navigation and for finding the quibla, the direction of the Mecca
Who created an Earth-centered planetary model?
Nasir al-din al-Tusi of Bagdad
What years were Tusi’s birth and death?
1201; 1274
Where is Tusi’s Earth-centered planetary model derived from?
from Ptolemy’s model of planetary motion after finding its flaws
Who drew from al-Tusi’s model when theorizing that the Earth revolves around the sun
Copernicus
What is the name of the ancient Maragheh Observatory built for Tusi?
Rasad Kaneh
When was Rasad Kaneh built?
in the 13th century
Who authored an influential multi-volume encyclopedia of all known medical knowledge at the time?
Doctor Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi
What years were Al-Razi’s birth and death?
865; 925
What is Al-Razi’s Latinized name?
Rhazes
Who created a monograph on smallpox and measles?
al-Razi
Who pioneered the study of the pulmonary circulation of blood?
Ibn al-Nafis
What years were Al-Nafis’ birth and death?
1213; 1288
Where was Al-Nafis born in?
Damascus
Who was the first to recognize that lungs purify blood?
Ibn al-Nafis
Who is considered to be the father of algebra?
Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khawarzmi
What years were Al-Khwarzmi’s birth and death?
780; 850
Where did the term “algebra” come from?
from a-jabr, one of the operations used to solve quadratic equations in Al-Khwarzmi’s book
Why is Al-Khwarzmi considered to be the father of algebra?
because his book “Algebra” is the first treatise on the systematic solutions of linear and quadratic equations
Who introduced the decimal positioning system?
Al-Khawarzmi
Who made a significant innovation regarding paper-making?
a eunuch named Cai Lun
What years were Cai Lun’s birth and death?
50; 121
Where did Cai Lun’s advanced paper-making technology then spread to?
Central Asia and the rest of the world through the Silk Road
(True/False) Paper existed before Cai Lun’s invention
True
When was woodblock printing used?
during the Tang and Song Dynasties
Who invented movable type printing?
Bi Sheng
What years were Bi Sheng’s birth and death?
990; 1051
How does the movable type printing function?
(1) it makes use of individually carved characters on pieces of clay before hardening them with fire; (2) these pieces were later glued to an iron plate to print a page; (3) then broken up and redistributed for another page
Where did the movable type printing then spread to?
across Europe, leading up to the Renaissance, then later spread all around the world
How long did the Tang Dynasty last?
618 to 907
How long did the Song Dynasty last?
960 to 1279
Who invented gunpowder?
Chinese Taoists alchemists
When was gunpowder invented?
about 1000 AD
Why was gunpowder invented?
finding a potion to gain immortality
What are the three ingredients of gunpowder?
elemental sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter (potassium nitrate),
Where did gunpowder spread to?
to Europe during the Mongol expansion of 1200-1300
(True/False) The Chinese used gunpowder to create cannons and guns, while Europeans used it for firecrackers.
False
The Chinese used this discovery mainly for firecrackers while Europeans created cannons and guns and dominated China in the mid-1800s.
How was the compass initially used?
Feng Shui (or the practice of arranging pieces in living spaces to create balance with the natural world).
When was the compass invented?
between the 2nd century BC and 1st century AD
When and how did the purpose of the compass shift?
By 1000 AD, navigational compasses were commonly used on Chinese ships
Who learned the technology of the compass and brought it to the West?
Arab traders
Who are widely believed to be the first brewers?
inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula
When was the belief that the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula were the first brewers disproven?
2013
How was the belief that the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula were the first brewers disproven?
a 9000-year-old pottery found in the Henan province revealed the presence of alcohol, 1000 years before the Arabs did
What is alcohol also known as in Chinese culture, and what is it used for?
alcohol, known as ‘Jiu,’ was used for spiritual offerings to honor the heavens, the earth, and ancestors
In ancient China, what was the typical alcoholic content percentage of beer?
4% to 5%
(True/False) Alcohol is mentioned on oracle bone inscriptions.
True
What was the world’s first mechanical clock called?
the ‘Spherical Birds’
Who invented the world’s first mechanical clock and when?
the Buddhist monk Yi Xing; 725 AD
How was the world’s first mechanical clock operated?
by dripping water which powered a wheel that made one revolution in 24 hours
Who developed a more sophisticated clock and when?
Su Song; 1092
What was Su Song’s clock called?
the Cosmic Empire
Who first discovered tea according to old Chinese legend?
Shennong, the Chinese Father of Agriculture
When was tea discovered according to old Chinese legend?
2737 BC
When did tea become a popular drink enjoyed by all social classes?
Tang Dynasty (618-907)
What is The Book of Tea also known as, and who wrote it?
Cha Jing; by Lu Yu in the Tang Dynasty
What were the contents of Cha Jing?
ways to cultivate tea, tea drinking and different classifications of tea in details
(True/False) Cha Jing is considered the world’s first monograph about tea.
True
Where can the world’s oldest and largest living tea tree be found and how old is it?
Lin Cang, China; 3,200 years old
What is considered to be one of the oldest fibers?
Silk
When was silk discovered?
4000-3000 BC
Where was the earliest evidence of silk discovered?
Yangshao culture site in Xiaxian County, Shanxi Province, China
(True/False) Chinese people openly shared the process of making silk to the West.
False
Chinese people kept it a closely guarded secret, and the West had to pay gold of the same weight for the silks.
How early can the invention of the umbrella be traced back?
as early as 3500 years ago
Who created the umbrella according to Chinese folklore?
Lu Ban, a Chinese carpenter and inventor
What inspired Lu Ban to create the umbrella?
children using lotus leaves as rain shelter
What was Lu Ban’s umbrella made of?
a flexible framework covered by a cloth
What is the oldest Chinese medicine book?
Neijing
What is Neijing also known as?
The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine
What two proofs show that acupuncture was widely used as a therapy in Ancient China?
(1) Neijing contains information regarding the usage of acupuncture
(2) the tomb of Prince Liu Sheng who died in 200, had acupuncture needles inside
When was iron smelting technology developed in Ancient China?
5th Century BC in the Zhou Dynasty
How long did the Zhou Dynasty last?
1050 BC-256 BC)
When is China considered to have gone into a flourishing period for iron smelting?
During The Spring & Autumn period and Warring States period
How long did The Spring & Autumn period last?
776 BC to 476 BC
How long did the Warring States period last?
476 BC-221 BC
When did the central government monopolize the iron smelting in Ancient China?
in the Han Dynasty
How long did the Han Dynasty last?
202 BC to 220 AD
When did the earliest porcelain emerge qnd when did it mature?
the Shang Dynasty; the Tang Dynasty
How long did the Shang Dynasty last?
1600 BC-1046 BC
How long did the Tang Dynasty last?
618 to 906
When did porcelain production technology reach an unprecedented height?
During the Song Dynasty
Why is porcelain production technology considered to have reached an unprecedented height during the Song Dynasty?
due to its focus on shape and the tactile experiences of the glaze
(True/False) Chinese porcelain was only sought out locally, thus was never traded globally despite its quality.
False
Chinese porcelain was highly prized in the world and many artworks had been introduced to the West through the Silk Road.
Who invented the seismograph?
Zhang Heng
What years were the birth and death of Zhang Heng?
78; 140
When was the seismograph created?
132
When was the first instance of the seismograph indicating an earthquake occurring?
138
Where did the first ever detected earthquake by a seismograph occur?
in Longxi, a thousand kilometers away
When and where did the development of modern seismographs begin?
in 1848 in Europe
How do rockets work?
applying counter-force produced by ignited gunpowder
Why did the Wei State use torches attached to arrows?
to guard Chencang against the invading troops of the Shu State
When did the Wei State start using torches attached to arrows to guard Chencang?
According to history, in 228 AD
When was gunpowder adapted to make rockets?
Song Dynasty (960-1279)
What is the rocket made of?
A paper tube stuffed with gunpowder attached to an arrow which can be launched by a bow
When was the skill of producing bronze mastered?
1700 BC
In which dynasties brought China into the Bronze Age?
Shang and Zhou Dynasty
In what way did the Chinese bronze wares stand out?
their inscriptions and delicate decorative patterns
When was the kite developed?
3,000 years ago
What were the earliest kites made of and what were they called?
wood; Muyuan (wooden kite)
What were early times kites mainly used for?
for military purposes such as sending a message, measuring distances, testing the wind, and signaling
Over time, kite flying developed into playthings and kite flying is now enjoyed worldwide
What is the seed drill?
a device that plants the seed into soil at a uniform depth and covers it
When can seed drills be dated back to?
2nd Century BC
(True/False) Decades before the Seed Drill was created, Chinese farmers still scattered seeds onto the fields randomly.
False
While farmers around the world still scattered seed onto the fields randomly, ancient Chinese farmers started planting crops in rows
When did ancient Chinese farmers start practicing row crop farming?
6th century BC
What were the benefits of row crop farming?
it reduces seed loss and improves crop growth
How long did it take until the West adapted row crop farming?
2200 years later
When was the bristle toothbrush invented?
1498
What was the ancient toothbrush made of?
coarse horse hairs attached to bone or bamboo handles
Who brought the toothbrush into the rest of the world?
Europeans
When was paper money first developed?
the end of the 8th or beginning of the 9th century
What were paper bills originally used as?
privately issued bills of credit or exchange notes
(True/False) A merchant could deposit their cash to receive an “exchange certificate”
True
What were weighing scales used for?
to measure and compare goods in trade
When was the weighing scale invented?
Between 2400 BC - 1800 BC
What is Ayurveda?
it involves complex combinations of herbs, minerals, and metals for sickness
When can Ayurveda be dated back to?
5000 BC
Which two cities had almost every home with a flush toilet and a sophisticated sewage system?
Harappa and Mohenjo-daro
When were ancient flush toilet systems created?
2500 BC
(True/False) A dig site in Mohenjo-daro showed evidence of healers curing tooth disorders with bone drills.
False
A dig site in Mehgarh showed evidence of healers curing tooth disorders with bow drills.
Which two areas of the Indus Valley Civilization have had rulers uncovered from ruins?
now-Pakistan and Western India
What were ancient rulers made of?
ivory
(True/False) One ruler found was even calibrated to 1/16 of an inch.
True
(True/False) Bricks in the area where rulers were uncovered in were found to follow the same measurements.
True
When were rulers created?
2400 BC
What was plastic surgery known as in ancient India?
plastikē
What does plastikē mean?
the “art of of modeling” malleable flesh
(True/False) Ancient India discovered plastic–the petroleum byproduct– before the West did and thus have been practicing plastic surgery for longer.
False
Plastic surgery was being carried out in India through plastikē, or the “art of of modeling” malleable flesh, and not the petroleum byproduct.
Who is credited to be the father of plastic surgery?
Sushrata
When did Sushrata live?
~600 BC
(True/False) Mesopotamian, Indian, and Chinese mathematicians all discovered Pythagoras’ namesake theorem independently long before he ever did
True
What contains a statement of the Pythagorean theorem as well as geometrical proof for an isosceles right triangle?
Baudhayana Sulba Sutra
What is the Baudhayana Sulba Sutra?
an ancient Indian mathematical and geometric text
When was the Baudhayana Sulba Sutra written?
between about 800 BC to 500 BC
When did South India begin to create crucible steel?
200 BC
What was the process of making crucible steel?
called the crucible technique, iron, charcoal, and glass were mixed together and heated until the iron melted and absorbed the carbon,
What tool was used to perform a cataract surgery?
Jabamukhi Salaka
What is the Jabamukhi Salaka?
a curved needle used to loosen the lens and push the cataract out of the field of vision
(True/False) Chinese scientists of the time travelled to India to see cataract surgeries, and the technique was even introduced to the Arabs.
False
Greek scientists of the time travelled to India to see cataract surgeries, and the technique was even introduced into China
When was the spinning wheel created?
between 500 and 1000
What was the spinning wheel also known as?
Charkha
Why was the Charka important?
it eventually went on to become the symbol of India’s independence movement
Where were Hindu cosmological time cycles found?
the Surya Siddhanta
When was the Surya Siddhanta written?
between 700 BC to 600
How much time does it take for the Earth to revolve around the Sun, according to the Surya Siddhanta?
365.2563627 days
How much longer is the approximation made in the Surya Siddhanta regarding the amount of time it takes for the Earth to revolve around the Sun compared to the actual number?
1.4 seconds
Which mathematician was the first person to create a symbol for zero?
Aryabhata
What is the decimal system?
the ingenious method of expressing all numbers by means of ten symbols and their positions
What is the numeral notation?
a system of different symbols for every number from one to nine
When was the numeral notation created?
as early as 500 BC
What was the numeral notation called by the Arabs?
the hind numerals
How did the Fibonacci numbers first appear as?
as matrâmeru
Who mentioned the matrâmeru?
Pingala
Why did Pinagala mention the matrâmeru?
in connection with the Sanskrit tradition of prosody
Who were the other three mathematicians that also mentioned the Fibonacci numbers before Fibonacci himself did?
Virahanka, Gopala, and Hemacandra
What is the binary system?
the basic language in which computer programs are written; a set of two numbers: 1 and 0
What are the combinations of 1 and 0 called?
bits and bytes
Who first described the binary system?
the Vedic scholar Pingala
What book by Pingala did the binary system appear in?
Chandahsästra
The Chandahsästra is the earliest known Sanskrit ________ __ _______.
treatise on prosody
What is prosody
the study of poetic meters and verses.
Who devised the atomic theory centuries before John Dalton was born?
Kanad
What did Kanad say were small indestructible particles?
anu
What are the two states the anu can have?
absolute rest and a state of motion
Anu of the same substance can combine with each other to produce ________ and ________.
dvyanuka; tryanuka
What is the dvyanuka and tryanuka known better as?
diatomic and triatomic molecules.
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Camera Obscura and the Pinhole Camera
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Astrolabe
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Heliocentric Planetary Model
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Multiple Volumes of Medicine Encyclopedia
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Pulmonary Circulation of the Blood
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Algebra
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Parachute
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Hang-glider
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Eyeglasses
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Artificial Wing
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Soft Drinks
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Fine Glass
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Modern Soap
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Shampoo
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Kerosene
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Programmable Humanoid Robot
Arabs
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Paper-making
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Row Crop Farming
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Gunpowder
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Movable Type Printing
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Compass
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Mechanical Clock
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Tea Production
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Silk
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Umbrella
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Acupuncture
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Iron Smelting
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Porcelain
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Alcohol
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Rocket
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Bronze
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Earthquake Detector
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) The Seed Drill
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Toothbrush
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) KIte
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Paper Money
Chinese
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Weighing Scale
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Ayurveda
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Ancient Flush Toilet Systems
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Ancient Dentistry
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Ruler
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Plastic Surgery
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Pythagorean Theorem
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Crucible Steel
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Cataract Surgery
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Spinning Wheel
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Earth’s Orbit
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) The Idea of Zero
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) The Decimal System
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) The Numeral Notation
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Fibonacci Numbers
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Binary System
Indians
(Arabs/Chinese/Indians) Theory of the Atom
Indians
