Opera Geometrica

work by Torricelli

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

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Evangelista Torricelli's Opera Geometrica (1644) was a significant work in mathematics, particularly in geometry. While Torricelli is most famous for inventing the mercury barometer and creating the first sustained vacuum, his mathematical contributions were also substantial.1

In Opera Geometrica, Torricelli explored concepts related to fluid motion and projectile motion. His work in geometry also laid groundwork for the eventual development of integral calculus. This treatise was published during a period when mathematicians like Bonaventura Cavalieri were also developing methods that foreshadowed integral calculus, building upon the legacy of Greek mathematicians.123

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Evangelista Torricelli
In his Opera Geometrica (1644; “Geometric Works”), he included his findings on fluid motion and projectile motion.
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In his Opera Geometrica (1644; “Geometric Works”), he included his findings on fluid motion and projectile motion.
Read More