History of the term "square-cube law?"

In summary, the square-cube law is a term that has been used in various fields of science to describe how increases in size or radius result in an increase in lift. I have never heard of it, but I found information on its history on a website that is very good at tracking down the origins of words and phrases.
  • #1
The Bill
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I'm familiar with the history of the concept of the square-cube law going back to Galileo, Watt, etc. However, I don't know the origin and history of the language we use to talk about it today. When was the specific term "square-cube law" coined? When did that name become commonly used/understood in the scientific communities where it is useful?
 
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  • #2
I have never heard of it and there is no German Wikipedia page either. The French call it scale effect. Adding both leads me to the assumption that it is not of mathematical origin. My first thought was Kepler, but this is something else. My second thought was: typical engineer's language.
 
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  • #3
The Bill said:
When was the specific term "square-cube law"
I have never heard of it either ??

are you sure you didn't mean the inverse square law ?
 
  • #5
Dr. Courtney said:
I already read that. I'm looking for information on the history of how the term has been used in each field of science. That article is about the law itself, not the terminology and the specific level of detail I'm asking about the history of that terminology.
 
  • #7
The Montgolfier brothers and their balloons come to mind. The Wikipedia article that you already read includes a remark about aerostats:

Aerostats generally benefit from the square–cube law. As the radius (##r##) of a balloon is increased, the cost in surface area increases quadratically ( ##r^2##), but the lift generated from volume increases cubically ( ##r^3##).​
 
  • #9
While I never heard of the square-cube law either, I am familiar with the related term "surface to volume ratio". Googling that might also produce useful information.
 

FAQ: History of the term "square-cube law?"

What is the square-cube law?

The square-cube law is a mathematical principle that describes the relationship between the surface area and volume of a three-dimensional object. It states that as an object's size increases, its surface area will increase at a slower rate than its volume.

Who first discovered the square-cube law?

The square-cube law was first described by Galileo Galilei in the 17th century, although it was not named as such until later on. It has since been studied and applied by many scientists and mathematicians.

How is the square-cube law relevant in science?

The square-cube law has applications in various fields of science, including biology, physics, and engineering. It helps to explain why larger animals have proportionally thicker bones, why smaller animals can fall from greater heights without injury, and why larger structures require more support than smaller ones.

Can the square-cube law be applied to non-physical objects?

Yes, the square-cube law can be applied to non-physical objects, such as economic systems or social networks. It can help to predict how these systems will behave as they grow in size and complexity.

Are there any exceptions to the square-cube law?

While the square-cube law holds true for many objects, there are some exceptions. For example, the surface area of a cell membrane may not follow the same pattern as its volume due to its complex structure and function. Additionally, the law may not apply to objects that are extremely small or extremely large.

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