spiral of archimedes: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No, it is relatively rare in nature compared to the logarithmic spiral. It is primarily a mathematical construct, though it can be seen in man-made objects like rolled paper, some springs, and vinyl records.

It is named after the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes of Syracuse (c. 287–212 BCE), who described its properties in his work 'On Spirals'.

Its constant linear increase with angle makes it useful in engineering for creating constant-speed cams, in clock springs, and in designs where uniform expansion is needed, such as in some types of antennas and spiral conveyors.

Unlike a circle, it expands outward. Unlike a logarithmic spiral (common in shells), the gap between successive turns is constant, not increasing geometrically. It is sometimes called an 'arithmetic' spiral for this reason.

A planar curve defined by the motion of a point moving away from a fixed point with a constant speed along a line which itself rotates with constant angular velocity.

Spiral of archimedes is usually technical, academic in register.

Spiral of archimedes: in British English it is pronounced /ˌspaɪrəl əv ˌɑːkɪˈmiːdiːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌspaɪrəl əv ˌɑːrkəˈmiːdiːz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.