Early Greek Elements

Early Greek Elements

Science Lesson: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire The ancient Greeks believed that there were four elements that everything was made up of: earth, water, air, and fire. This theory was suggested around 450 BC, and it was later supported and added to by Aristotle.  The idea that these four elements – earth, water, air, and fire – made up all matter was the cornerstone of philosophy, science, and medicine for two thousand years,

Multiple Choice

How long ago did the Greeks come up with the four early Elements?

• About 450 years

• About 2,450 years

• About 2,000 years

• About 100 years

Ideas Earth, Fire, Water, Air were four major elements:

• The elements were “pure” but could not be found in that state on earth. Every visible thing was made up of some combination of earth, water, air, and fire.

• While we do know now that these previous theories are false, in a way the four elements do align with the four states of matter that modern science has agreed on: solid (earth), liquid (water), gas (air), and plasma (fire).

Multiple Select

What are the four early Greek elements?

• Earth

• Fire

• Water

• Air

• Wind

Reasons Greeks used these:

• Although the Greeks believed that the four elements were unchanging in nature, everything was made up of different elements, which were held together or pushed apart by forces of attraction and repulsion, causing substances to appear to change.

• This is similar to what really happens with elements and all molecules at an atomic level.