19.10.2015

In the history of science there is a term "4 great inventions". We are talking about innovations that were created in China and forever changed the way people understand the world around them. Along with paper, wheel and gunpowder, ancient Chinese scientists were the first to give humanity a compass. The compass became the invention without which geographical discoveries would never have been possible, transnational trade and many other processes that created our civilization could not exist.

The first written mention of the compass dates back to 1044. A Chinese book describes an amazing device with which a traveler could navigate in the desert. The compass was described in detail 40 years later by the Chinese Shen Ko. The author describes the design: a piece of metal was attached to a stick that was immersed in water. Thus, a magnetic resonance was achieved, that part of the tree on which the iron was attached indicated the direction towards the north.

How the compass got to Europe is not known for certain. Apparently, the invention was brought with them by the Arabs, who finally conquered the territory of modern Spain by the 12th century. From there, the compass goes first to the Italians, and then to the British. By the way, it is worth noting that the modern name of the device etymologically refers to the English compass, which means “circle”.

There is another point of view, according to which the compass in Europe was first invented by the Vikings in the X-XI centuries, during the campaigns to the west. In an effort to discover sea routes to uncharted countries, the northern wars used a certain invention that allowed them to determine the direction of the cardinal points using water and the sun. Not without reason, it is believed that the Icelandic warriors were the first to reach the shores of America. It is difficult to imagine that they could go such a long way, focusing solely on the stars.

The first of the European scientists who improved the design of the compass was the Italian Flavio Joya. He suggested attaching the arrow to a hairpin, which significantly reduced the error in indicating the direction, and also divided the circle into 16 points (later into 32). Thus, sea rolling now practically did not affect the instrument readings, and ship captains were able to correctly describe and calculate the direction.

In the 20th century, with the development of engineering, geography and geodesy, new models of the device were created: an electromagnetic compass, a gyrocompass, a compass and other devices. So, in 1927, an electric compass was first tested. The need for such a development appeared in connection with the development of aviation. The first pilot to travel across the Atlantic Ocean with such a compass was the American Charles Lindbergh.

With the development of science came an understanding of some subtleties. So, the magnetic and real (geographical) poles of the earth do not coincide, which leads to errors in the calculations. This is fraught, for example, with a deviation from the course of ships sailing. That is why at the end of the XIX century the so-called gyrocompass was developed. Today it is used on almost all marine vessels, it has a more complex design and high accuracy.

The history of the compass is the history of human observation. If, one day, one Chinese sage would not have noticed the connection between the cardinal points, the stars and the reaction of the metal, perhaps humanity would have been forced to slow down in its development for many years.

History of the compass [VIDEO]

The creation of the compass and its widespread introduction gave impetus not only to geographical discoveries, but also made it possible to better understand the relationship between electric and magnetic fields. After the beginning of the use of the compass, new branches of scientific knowledge began to appear.

A compass with a magnetic needle opened to mankind not only the globe, but also the physical world in all its diversity.

The primacy in the discovery of the properties of the compass is disputed by several: Indians, Arabs and Chinese, Italians, British. Today it is very difficult to reliably determine who owns the honor of inventing the compass. Many conclusions are drawn only on the assumptions put forward by historians, archaeologists and physicists. Unfortunately, many testimonies and documents that could shed light on this issue have not been preserved or have come down to the present in a distorted form.

Where did the compass first appear?

One of the most common versions says that the compass was in China about a year ago (“From the astrolabe to navigation systems”, V. Koryakin, A. Khrebtov, 1994). Pieces of ore, which had a wonderful property to attract small metal objects, the Chinese called "loving stone" or "stone of motherly love." The inhabitants of China were the first to pay attention to the properties of the magic stone. If it is given the shape of an oblong object and hung on a thread, it occupies a certain position, pointing one end to the south, and the other to the north.

It was surprising that the "arrow" deviated from its position, after hesitation, again occupied its original position. Chinese chronicles contain indications that the properties of the magnetic stone were used by travelers to determine the correct position when moving through the deserts, when the daylight and stars were not visible in the sky.

The first Chinese compass began to be used when moving caravans through the Gobi Desert.

Much later, the magnet began to be used for orientation in navigation. According to Chinese sources, around the 5th-4th centuries BC, sailors began to use a metal needle rubbed with a magnetic stone and suspended on a silk thread. It is surprising that at that time the compass did not reach India and Europe, because then communication between China and these regions was already being established. But the Greeks of those times do not mention about.

It is believed that the compass came to Europe no earlier than the 3rd century BC through Arab sailors who plowed the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. But individual researchers do not exclude that this useful device was reinvented, who independently discovered the effect produced by a magnetic one suspended on a thin thread.

The compass is a surprisingly ancient invention, despite its relative complexity. Presumably, this mechanism was first created in ancient China in the 3rd century BC. Later, it was borrowed by the Arabs, through whom this device came to Europe.

History of the compass in ancient China

In the 3rd century BC, in a Chinese treatise, a philosopher named Hen Fei-tzu described the device of the device son, which, as "in charge of the south." It was a small spoon with a rather massive convex part, polished to a shine, and a thin small one. The spoon was placed on a copper plate, also well polished so that there was no friction. At the same time, the handle should not touch the plate, it remained hanging in the air. The signs of the cardinal points were applied to the plate, which in ancient China were associated with signs. The convex part of the spoon easily rotated on the plate if it was pushed a little. And the stalk in this case always pointed to the south.

Scientists believe that the shape of the magnet's arrow - a spoon - was not chosen by chance, it symbolized the Big Dipper, or the "Heavenly Dipper", as the ancient Chinese called this constellation. This device did not work very well, since it was impossible to polish the plate and spoon to an ideal state, and friction caused errors. In addition, it was difficult to manufacture, since magnetite is difficult to process, it is a very fragile material.

In the XI century, several versions of the compass were created in China: floating in the form of an iron fish with water, a magnetized needle on and others.

Further history of the compass

In the XII century, the Arabs borrowed the Chinese floating compass, although some researchers are inclined to believe that the Arabs were the authors of this invention. In the XIII century, the compass came to Europe: first to Italy, after which it appeared among the Spaniards, the Portuguese, the French - those nations that were distinguished by their developed navigation. This medieval compass looked like a magnetic needle attached to a cork and lowered into the water.

In the 14th century, the Italian inventor Joya created a more accurate compass design: the arrow was put on a hairpin in a vertical position, a coil with sixteen points was attached to it. In the 17th century, the number of points increased, and so that the pitching on the ship did not affect the accuracy of the compass, a gimbal suspension was installed.

The compass turned out to be the only navigational device that allowed European sailors to navigate the open sea and go on long journeys. This was the impetus for the Great Geographical Discoveries. This device also played a role in the development of ideas about the magnetic field, about its relationship with the electric field, which led to the formation of modern physics.

Later, new types of compass appeared - electromagnetic, gyrocompass, electronic.

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(The word "cybernetics" in Greek means "pilot" or "helmsman"). This science required the appearance of special instruments that would help travelers find the right path. One of them was a compass - a device that indicates the direction of a geographic or magnetic meridian. Modern compasses are magnetic, mechanical, radio and others.

The word "compass" appears to be derived from the old English word compass, meaning in the XIII-XIV centuries. "a circle".

The first mention of the invention of the compass in Europe dates back to the 12th century. This device was simply a magnetized iron needle, mounted on a cork, floating in a vessel of water. Then they came up with the idea of ​​strengthening the arrow on an axis fixed at the bottom of the bowl.

However, in China, the compass was known much earlier. He was called "chi-an". Chinese chronicles attribute its invention to the semi-mythical god-khan (emperor) Huang-di, who reigned 2600 BC.

Such a legend has been preserved in Chinese chronicles. Emperor Huangdi fought with one Mongol khan. After the defeat, the Mongols began to retreat into the desert, and the Chinese troops pursued them for a long time. However, the Mongol riders arranged a trick: they raised such dust that it blocked the sun. When the dust cleared, the Mongols were already out of sight. The pursuers rushed first in one direction, then in the other, but nowhere did they even meet signs of human habitation. They realized that they were lost. They ran out of food, they began to suffer from unbearable thirst. And then Emperor Huang-di remembered the tiny iron man, which a sage gave him. This little man, no matter how you put him, always showed his hand to the south. The emperor installed the little man on his chariot and led the exhausted army in the direction where the hand of the little man was pointing. And soon everyone saw familiar places.

The legend, of course, cannot serve as a reliable source. But there is other information that the compass was really invented in China, about 100-200 years before our era - 3 thousand years later than indicated in the legend. But even in this case, the Chinese are still the discoverers of the compass.

Model of a compass from the era of the Chinese Han Dynasty.

It is also known that about 800 years ago, Arab sailors used a compass. Perhaps they adopted this invention from the Chinese, all of whose ships in the 11th century were equipped with compasses. The Arabic device was made in the form of an iron fish. A magnetized fish was lowered into the water, and each time it invariably turned its head to the north. The Venetian merchants, who brought it to Italy, probably learned about this device from the Arabs. From here the compass became known in all the countries of the Mediterranean, and from there - throughout Europe. In any case, the first mention of the use of a magnetic needle in navigation is found in the work of the Englishman Alexander Neckam, written in 1180, and he writes about it as a thing already known.

The prototype of the modern compass was invented by the Italian Flavio Gioia in the 14th century (they even name the exact year - 1302). Before that, the compass served only to determine the north-south direction. And Joya suggested dividing the compass circle into 16 parts (points) to determine other cardinal points. In addition, he put the compass needle on a hairpin for better rotation.

In Italy, there is a beautiful legend associated with the name of Flavio Gioia.

A long time ago, when the city of Amalfi, like Venice, stood on the seashore, lived in it the poor Flavio Gioia, a jeweler and encruster. He was in love with the beautiful Angela, the daughter of a wealthy fisherman, Domenico. Severe Domenico considered people of the second class those who did not go to sea on oars or under sails, did not experience themselves in storms and storms. And Flavio Gioia, unfortunately, belonged to this category of people. Domenico did not want to have such a son-in-law, but he diplomatically decided to refuse the applicant for the hand of his daughter and therefore set the condition: Flavio must sail at least once at night or in fog in a boat strictly in a straight line. At that time, such a task was impossible. This was not possible even for his comrades, experienced sailors.

But Flavio accepted the challenge. He took an oblong magnetic stone, which he fixed horizontally on a round flat cork. On the top surface of the cork, he placed a disc with graduations. So it turned out the sensitive element of the magnetic compass - a card.

In order for the card to rotate in a horizontal plane, Flavio pierced it with a vertical axis with sharp ends that rested against the supports installed in the body of the device - the cup. However, due to the pressure of the cartridge on the lower support, a large frictional moment arose, which prevented the rotation of the cartridge and caused large instrument errors. Then Flavio poured water into a cup. The cork surfaced, the pressure on the lower support decreased, the rotation of the card became smooth and free. In one place on the edge of the cup, Flavio drew a thin line, and divided the entire circumference of the disk of the potato into 16 equal parts - rhumbs.

The day of testing has come. Flavio got into the boat and set up his device so that the thin line on the cup coincided with the longitudinal axis of the boat. The card, swaying around its axis, stopped in such a position that one end of the oblong magnetic stone pointed to the north. Flavio noticed the rhumb, which settled against the thin line on the cup, and set off. He only needed to steer the boat in such a way that during the movement against the thin line on the cup there was the same rhumb.

So Flavio coped with the task and married Angela.

Many researchers believe that Flavio Gioia is a fictitious figure... However, this did not prevent the grateful Italian descendants from erecting two monuments to the inventor of the compass: in Naples and in Gioia's homeland - in the city of Amalfi.

Monument to Flavio Gioia in Amalfi (Italy)

Yes, yes, this is not a mistake: the science of the laws governing the processes of control and transmission of information - cybernetics - got its name from the ancient Greek name for the art of navigation!

The magnetic compass is one of the greatest discoveries in human history. It was thanks to this device that the Great geographical discoveries became possible.

What is a compass and what is it for?

The compass is an amazing device, using which you can always determine your exact location relative to the cardinal points. Undoubtedly, his invention is one of the greatest achievements of mankind, thanks to which all the great geographical discoveries were perfected. The invention of this device has the same significance for navigation as the beginning of the use of gunpowder in military affairs. Thanks to the compass, cartography has risen to a new level.

In order to accurately lay routes (primarily by sea), you need to know where you are and in which direction you are heading. Ancient sailors determined their location using the sun and stars. But they were not always visible. In the old days, ships tried not to go out to sea and stay close to the coast. According to the landmarks on the shore, the sailors determined their position.

Only the invention of the compass and sextant made it possible to make long journeys and discover distant lands. Who invented the compass is not exactly known. It is believed that this device was invented in ancient China. However, then it was repeatedly improved, and the device that exists today bears very little resemblance to its distant ancestor.

The principle of the compass is that the magnetic needle interacts with the Earth's magnetic field and is located along the planet's lines of force.

Simply put, the magnetic needle will always be rotated along the magnetic line of the Earth. One of its ends will point to the North magnetic pole of our planet, and the other - to the South Pole.

The invention of the compass

What people first guessed to use the Earth's magnetic field to determine their exact position relative to the cardinal points? Scientists believe that they were Chinese.

Historians suggest that the first compass was invented in China during the Han Dynasty. It was the Chinese who discovered the amazing properties of magnetic iron ore. True, they used this mineral at first not for navigation, but for divination. Their description can be found in the ancient Chinese treatise "Lunheng".

The Chinese were the first to use magnetized iron to determine the cardinal points. Even the name of the scientist is called - Shen Gua, who lived during the Song Dynasty. First, special molds were cast from magnetic iron, which were then placed in a vessel with water. In 1119, Zhu Yu proposed the use of a compass with a needle. This is reported in the Chinese treatise "Table Talk in Ningzhou".

There is a description of another ancient Chinese compass, made in the form of a spoon with a thin handle. The spoon was made of magnetic material. It was installed on a polished surface, so that the handle of the spoon did not touch the surface. It was he who showed the sides of the world. The polished surface was often decorated with the signs of the Zodiac or designations of the countries of the world.

This device is ranked among the four great Chinese inventions: gunpowder, paper, printing and the compass. But, as you understand, the information about that distant era is rather vague and uncertain, so many scientists doubt it.

Compass in Europe and the East

It is believed that the ancient Chinese used the compass to navigate the deserts. They were also equipped with Chinese ships.

In the XII century, a similar device appeared among the Arabs. It remains not entirely clear: they themselves invented it or borrowed it from the Chinese. In Europe, the compass appeared in the XII or XIII century. Some scientists believe that the Europeans borrowed his device from the Arabs, others argue that they thought of this invention on their own. The first to use the compass were Italian sailors.

Mentions of this device can be found in the Kipchaks in 1282 and in al-Makrizi. Both of them describe the use of the compass at sea. It was adopted from the Italians by the Spaniards and the Portuguese, and then by the British and French. It was the use of this device that allowed Europeans to discover new continents, cross oceans and make the first trip around the world.

What did the first instruments look like?

At that time, the compass was very different from the device that we are used to seeing today. At first, it was a container of water in which a piece of wood or cork floated, a magnetic needle was inserted into it. To protect the vessel from wind and water, they began to cover it with glass.

This instrument was not very accurate. The magnetic needle looked like a thick needle. It is worth adding that the first devices were very expensive, and only very wealthy people had the opportunity to purchase them. Then there was an improvement of this device.

In the XIV century, the Italian scientist Flavio Gioia proposed to put a magnetic needle on a vertical axis, and attach a coil to the arrow, dividing it into 16 points. This innovation was very much liked by the sailors. A century later, the coil was already broken into 32 points, and it became even more convenient. The compass itself began to be placed in a special suspension in order to reduce the influence of sea rolling on it.

In the 17th century, a direction finder appeared - a special ruler with sights, which was fixed on the lid. The device has become even more convenient.

Modern appliances

Nowadays, despite the advent of satellite navigation, a gyrocompass, an ordinary magnetic compass continues to faithfully serve people. Of course, modern appliances bear little resemblance to their medieval predecessors. They are made using the latest technology and materials.

Today, the usual magnetic compass is most often used by tourists, geologists, climbers, travelers and just lovers of excursions and hikes. Ships and aircraft have long been using other, more advanced instruments. An electromagnetic compass that excludes interference from the metal hull of the ship, a gyrocompass that accurately indicates the geographic pole or satellite navigation devices.

But of all the instruments that indicate the direction and cardinal points, the ordinary compass is the simplest and most unpretentious. It does not require electricity, it is simple, convenient and reliable. And will always show you the right direction to a safe harbor.

Modern people have no problems in determining their location with high accuracy - you can, for example, use devices equipped with a GPS or GLONASS sensor. However, in ancient times, when traveling long distances, people had problems. It was especially difficult to navigate when traveling through the deserts or swimming in the open sea, where there were no known landmarks. As a result, travelers could easily get lost and die. Already after the beginning of the era of great geographical discoveries in the 16-17 centuries. navigators often lost already discovered islands or put them on the map several times, to say nothing of the ancient navigators.

Of course, even in ancient times, people still found ways to determine the cardinal points, first of all, observation of the Sun and stars helped in this. It has long been observed that, although the stars change their position, one of the stars, namely the North Star, is always in the same place. From this star began to determine the direction to the north. But what if the sky is covered with clouds, and neither the Sun nor the stars are visible? It is impossible to determine the direction of movement, the ship goes astray and may sail in the wrong direction at all. Therefore, distant expeditions were a very dangerous business until the compass appeared, and it is no coincidence that only after the navigators began to use it, all corners of our planet were discovered and studied. When and by whom was the compass invented?

The principle of the compass is based on the fact that the earth has a magnetic field and is like one big magnet. The compass, on the other hand, has a magnetic needle, which in the Earth's magnetic field always indicates the direction to the magnetic poles, which are not far from the geographic ones. Thus, with the help of a compass, you can determine the direction to the cardinal points. In nature, there is a material that has magnetic properties, namely magnetite (magnetic iron ore).

magnetite

The property of pieces of magnetite to be attracted to each other, as well as to iron objects, has long been noticed by people. For example, the ancient Greek philosopher Thales Miletsiky wrote about this in his writings in the 6th century. BC e., but he did not find practical applications for magnets. And the Chinese found it.

It is not known for certain when the Chinese invented the compass, but the first description of it that has survived to this day dates back to the 3rd century BC. e. The ancient Chinese compass was something like a magnetite spoon mounted on a polished copper plate. It looked like this:

ancient chinese compass

The spoon was untwisted and after a while it stopped so that its end pointed to the south. Moreover, initially the compass in China was used not at all for navigation, but in the mystical Feng Shui system. In Feng Shui, it is very important to correctly orient objects to the cardinal points, and for this they used a compass.

It took a long time before the compass was improved and began to be used in travel, first on land and then at sea. Instead of a piece of magnetite, they began to use a magnetized iron needle, which was suspended on a silk thread or lowered into a vessel with water, where, floating on the surface, it turned in the direction of the magnetic pole. Important improvements to the compass, as well as a description of the magnetic declination (i.e., the deviation of the direction to the magnetic pole and the geographic one), were made by the Chinese scientist Shen Gua in the 11th century. It was after this that the Chinese navigators began to actively use the compass. From them, the compass became known to the Arabs, and in the 13th century. the famous traveler Marco Polo brought the compass from China to Europe.

In Europe, the compass was improved. The arrow began to be mounted on a hairpin, a scale was added, divided into rhumbs, in order to more accurately indicate the direction. In later versions, the compass began to be installed on a special suspension (the so-called gimbal) so that the ship's pitching did not affect the readings.

old ship's compass

The advent of the compass gave a huge impetus to the development of navigation in Europe and helped European sailors cross the oceans and discover new continents.