Sir Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton also known as Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) is a renowned scientist of the Stuart Era. These accomplishments have strong ties to physics and mathematics. His vast contributions to science are monumental and are highly recognized by the science community. Newton’s Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica developed 1687 is considered one of the most important works in the history of modern science. Newton studied in several different fields, including mathematics, astrology, chemistry, philosophy, and physics. Newton’s studies in the field of mathematics were of particular importance, as he developed calculus and discovered the binomial theorem. In his book Optiks, Newton theorized that light was a spectrum, and he discovered the prismatic qualities of light as it refracts.
One of his most famous theories is Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation also known as Newton’s Law of Gravitation. Through this theory the understanding is that all matter holds a universal force of attraction. In Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica he laid out this theory, as well as what would later be known as Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. These are significant as they make up the foundation for our modern understanding of gravity and motion, and Newton is documented as being the first person to apply the term gravitas (which means “weight”) to refer to this discovery.
Law of Inertia (Newton’s First Law)
If a body is at rest or moving at a constant speed in a straight line, it will remain at rest or keep moving in a straight line at constant speed unless it is acted upon by force.
Law of Acceleration (Newton’s Second Law)
The acceleration of an object depends on two variables, the net force acting upon the object and the mass of the object. When the force on the object is increased, the acceleration of the object also increases. When the mass of the object increases, the acceleration of the object decreases.
Law of Action and Reaction (Newton’s Third Law)
That to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The force of one object (A) on another object (B) is FA. Simultaneously, object B exerts a force on object A of equal strength, but in the opposite direction (FB). Thus, FA is equal to -FB. FA is often known as the action, and FB is often known as the reaction.
Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
Newton’s law of Universal Gravitation states that the gravitational force (F) between two objects (1 and 2) is the mass of these objects (m) divided by the squared distance between their centers of mass (r) and multiplied by the gravitational constant (G). Robert Hooke accused Newton of plagiarizing the use of the square of the distance (r2) under the masses in Newton’s law when Newton presented his book Principia to the Royal Society. Newton, in his book, acknowledged that Hooke “appreciated” the offending part of his law, but did not credit him with the discovery, or that Hooke taught him anything new or original on that portion.
The story of an apple falling on Newton’s head as he rested under a tree which led him to theorize about gravity is well known, yet this story may actually be a myth. The story was first published in 1752 in Memoirs of Sir Isaac Newton’s Life written by William Stukeley, who was a friend of Newton, who claimed that Newton had relayed the story to him in 1726, the year before his death. “After dinner, the weather being warm, we went into the garden and drank thea [sic], under the shade of some apple trees…he told me, he was just in the same situation, as when formerly, the notion of gravitation came into his mind. It was occasion’d by the fall of an apple, as he sat in contemplative mood. Why should that apple always descend perpendicularly to the ground, thought he to himself…” Since Newton was deceased at the time of this publication, there was no way for him to verify the story, and some historians argue that the story was made up by Stukeley. The story makes no mention of the apple falling on Newton’s head however, so most historians believe that this part did not occur, and was instead a later addition to the story.
Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2170052-newtons-apple-the-real-story/#ixzz6pOwGHWwf
Here is a fun video for you all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUp4W9htmuY
Yay! Sir Isaac Newton!
ReplyDeleteOkay, that video music number was the bomb.
ReplyDeleteI really liked reading this post, its a really good overview of Isaac Newton and his theories. I didn't know that the story about the apple falling on his head was made up!
ReplyDeleteHi! Great post. Concise and informative. Simple explanation of complex physics. Newton's laws seem so obvious when taken from a twenty-first century perspective though I imagine that they were ground breaking at the time. I'm surprised that Robert Hooke accused him of plagiarism. I thought that during this time one's work was not considered scholarly unless one built on the work of other scholars.
ReplyDeleteNice post with an understandable overview of Newton's Laws. The story about the apple definitely reads like a romanticized myth and given the fact that it was written by one of Newton's friends, it does not surprise me that it is made up.
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