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How did Archimedes contribute to the study of fluids at rest?

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differential manometer, Torricellian barometer, and siphon — fluid mechanics Figure 1: Schematic representations of (A) a differential manometer, (B) a Torricellian barometer, and (C) a siphon.

Archimedes made foundational contributions to the study of fluids at rest, primarily through his formulation of hydrostatics and the law of buoyancy known as Archimedes’ principle.12

This principle states that any body completely or partially submerged in a fluid at rest is acted upon by an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body. This concept explains why objects float or sink based on their density relative to the fluid and provides a method for determining the density of objects, such as the famous application involving the crown of King Hieron II.32

Beyond this principle, Archimedes is credited with inventing the Archimedes screw, a device designed to raise water from one level to another. His work also explored the stability of floating bodies, identifying the centre of buoyancy and the role of torque and center of mass in determining whether an object remains in stable equilibrium.412