ine were said to be understood by the Greeks over 2,100 years ago. During this early period, Ctesibius of Alexandria invented the piston and cylinder used to pump water and the compatriot Hero used to harness steam power and produce mechanical motion (Petroski 15).
Woods (2003) reported that James Watt is credited with the invention of the steam engine but it was Thomas Newcomen who made the first steam engine for practical application in 1710. Even at this time, the steam engine did not appear as a finished product. Even further back than this time, the evolution of the steam engine can be traced to the 1640s beginning with Galileo. The Newcomen engine was very inefficient by today's standards but it was a commercial success at the time since it provided an alternative to pumps that were being powered by horses. This engine did not use steam pressure; the steam went to a cylinder and condensed by injecting a water spray. This water injecti
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