invention
The record of the use of wheels can be traced back to the wheels used by potters around 3500 BC. This is a simple rotating disc used by Mesopotamian pottery workers in Southwest Asia to make smooth round clay pots. About 300 years later, Mesopotamians put wheels on their cars, and the age of wheel traffic began.
historical development
Sometimes the simplest invention is the most important. Although it is not possible to say who was the first person to invent the wheel, the earliest record can be traced back to 5,500 years ago. Thanks to the wheels, there will be modern machines from photocopiers to jet engines that we take for granted today. Wheels have a unique point, that is, they are round, have no edges and corners, and can roll or rotate evenly. This allows various land vehicles such as bicycles, cars, trains, and trams to run smoothly on roads, railroad tracks, and rugged ground. In addition, the circular motion of the wheel allows it to continuously transmit the kinetic energy of the engine. Many other inventions also rely on wheels. For example, cranes rely on pulleys (grooved wheels with belts around the grooves) to reduce the force required to carry heavy objects. Gears can increase or decrease the speed and force of the wheels. Countless machines, including engines and airplanes, cannot be without gears.
Before the invention of the wheel, people had to push or drag heavy objects on the ground. Later, people might be inspired by seeing smooth rocks rolling down from the hillside, and then they came up with the idea of using wheels for transportation.
About 4,500 years ago, the ancient Egyptians built pyramids as mausoleums and temples. Crowds of workers used the rolled wood to move the boulders.
application in ancient
The earliest wheels were solid wooden wheels on carriages. Put two or three wooden boards together and cut them into circles. They first appeared in about 3200 BC.
Spoke wheels began to appear around 2000 BC. This kind of wheel is lighter than solid wheels and turns faster, so it is suitable for tanks.
Wheels with spokes made of iron wire appeared around 1800, and they were light and strong. This kind of wheel was first used in cars, bicycles, and early Yue machines. In the 1950s, wire wheels on cars were replaced by metal wheels.