Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton was born in 1642, the same year Galileo died, in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England on Christmas Day. He is considered one of the greatest scientists in history. As an English mathematician and physicist, Newton made important contributions to many fields of science. His discoveries and theories laid the foundation for much of the progress in science since his time. The three most important offerings of Newton are solving the mystifications of light and optics, formulating his three laws of motion, and deriving from them the law of universal gravitation. Also he contributed so much to the fields of mathematics too.
While he was still a student at Cambridge University in 1664, he had a great interest in the mysteries of light,optic, and colors. He read the works of Robert Boyle, Robert Hooks, and also René Descartes for some motivation. He investigated the refraction of light by passing a beam of sunlight through a type of prism, which split the beam into separate colors reflecting a rainbow.Over a few years in series of elaborate experiments, Newton discovered measurable, mathematical patterns in the phenomenon of color. In 1672, Newton sent a brief summary of his theory of colors to the Royal Society in London but it only led to a number of criticisms in publication that hurt him greatly and maybe stopped his study at Cambridge. But in 1704, Newton published Opticks, which explained his theories in great detail.
Newton's three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation are by far the most important scientific works in his life. After his criticism of light and optics, Edmund Halley, a British astronomer and mathematician, went to discuss with Newton orbital motion. Newton already had an attraction in universal gravitation so thanks to Halley's visit, Newton went back to those studies. During the next couple years, with the help of the German astronomer Johannes Kepler's laws of orbital motion, Newton formulated his own three laws of motion. And from these three laws, Newton derived the law of universal gravitation which explained that all bodies in space and on earth are affected by the force called gravity. Probably the greatest book of Isaac Newton is Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica which he published in 1687 explaining his theory of universal gravitation. Principia, which most people call it, is definitely a turning point in the history of science.
Newton's three laws of motion are:
1) an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force
His problem statement (a description of the issue being tested during the experiment) was: Can Hooke’s theory of light and the currently accepted theory be verified? The key to Newton’s experiment was a glass prism. According to the book, Isaac Newton (written by Gale E. Christianson), glass prisms were believed to have displayed the phenomena of the scale of light and give proof that the scale of light went from a bright red (color closest to white) to a dull blue (color closest to black). It was also believed that all of these colors were modifications of true white. To test this theory, Newton bought a glass prism “to try therewith the celebrated phenomena of colors” (More, 389). Newton took his prism to his upstairs bedroom and made sure that the room was completely darkened. He then positioned the prism on a table and drilled a one-eighth inch hole into the window shutter so that the light would pass through the prism at a specific angle and was projected onto a wall ("Newton and the Colour of Light"). According to the accepted theory of light, should light pass through a glass prism at that angle, the colors of the spectrum of light should be projected in a perfect circle. However, Newton observed that the colors were arranged into a rectangular shape and the pattern was wider than was predicted. Newton concluded that each color refracted at a different angle as it passed
When most people hear the name Isaac Newton, they think of various laws of physics and the story of the apple falling from the tree; in addition, some may even think of him as the inventor of calculus. However, there was much more to Newton’s life which was in part molded by the happenings around the world. The seventeenth century was a time of great upheaval and change around the world. The tumultuousness of this era was due mostly to political and religious unrest which in effect had a great impact on the mathematics and science discoveries from the time Newton was born in 1646 until the early 1700’s.
Sir Isaac Newton was born in England on December 25, 1642 during the time when studying motion was prevalent. He was known as one of the greatest mathematicians that ever lived. When Sir Isaac Newton matured he attended Free Grammar School and then later went on to Trinity College Cambridge. While he was in college he grew a strong passion for physics, math and astronomy. He received his bachelor and mater degree through his matriculation in college. Also, while in college he grew a passion for the study of motion. Before Isaac was born the study of motion was done by Galileo who discovered the projectile motion causing him to be one of the first scientists to experiment on moving objects. After Galileo’s death, Sir Isaac Newton took on the
Isaac Newton, (1642-1727) was an English scientist and statesman. Although his views were thought to contradict the bible he was the only man of these three which proved his views to be true. He discovered gravity and the laws of motion. He stated that, 'every particle in the universe is attracted to every other particle by a force that is directly related to the product of their masses and inversely related to the squares of the distance between them.
This law is also often called “Inertia”. Inis the tendency for an object to resist the change in motion. Like, if you are moving and nothing happens to you, then you will keep moving. Forever. If nothing is happening to, and nothing is trying to put any type of force on you then nothing will happen .Forever. (Newton’s Three) There is a limit that must be met in order for the first law to be suitable to any given motion. The limit is represented by the phrase "... unless acted upon by an unbalanced force." As the long as the forces are balanced - the first law of motion
Isaac Newton’s story of how an apple falling from a tree that hit his head inspired him to formulate a theory of gravitation is one that all school children grow up hearing about. Newton is arguably one of the most influential scientific minds in human history. He has published books such as Arithmetica Universalis, The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms, Methods of Fluxions, Opticks, the Queries, and most famously, Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia MathematicaHe formulated the three laws of gravitation, discovered the generalized binomial theorem, developed infinitesimal calculus (sharing credit with Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibniz, who developed the theory independently), and worked extensively on optics and refraction of light. Newton changed the way that people look at the world they live in and how the universe works.
It is very hard and nearly impossible to find someone that had contributed to world’s science as much as Isaac Newton did. His works set the basis for modern world physics and his main work that was published in “Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy” is considered one of the most significant books that the world has seen. Newton was without doubt one of the most influential scientists in modern times and he is one of the examples of the scientific enlightenment that occurred in Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The evidence that support and served Newton has been collected by scientists and astronomers from different parts of the world. Newton’s work and contribution to the world wouldn’t be possible without the data that has been collected miles from his office in Cambridge. The crossing of ideas as part of the transporting world and the beginning of globally connected society had a major influence on the success of Newton’s Principia. Using Simon Schaffer’s article “Newton on the Beach: The Information Order of Principia Mathematica” and Roger Cotes’s “Preface to Newton’s Principia Mathematica” I will try to show how these crossings of ideas as part of a more globalized world were important aspect in the creation of this enlightened period.
The three laws of motion are three rules that explain the motion of an object. The first law is the law of inertia. It states that every object remains at rest unless it is compelled by an external force. The second law is the law of acceleration. This law shows when there is a change in force, it causes a change in velocity. Finally, the third law states that every force in nature has an equal and opposite reaction. His discovery in calculus help confirms his second law of motion. Calculus also gave Isaac Newton powerful ways to solve mathematical problems. Lastly, for the color spectrum, he produced a beam of light from a tiny hole in a window shade. He placed a glass prism in front of the beam of light creating a color spectrum. In Newton’s undergraduate days, Newton was greatly influenced by the Hermetic tradition. After learning about the Hermetic tradition it influenced him to look at a different perspective into his discoveries and theories. One of the myths that followed the discovery is his discovery of universal gravitation. It is said that while Isaac Newton was thinking about the forces of nature, an apple fell on his head and he found the theory of gravity. There is no evidence that an apple fell on Newton’s head, but the evidence is shown that Newton got an idea of the theory of gravity when he saw an apple fall from a tree. During his life; however, Isaac Newton faced many obstacles. When he published some of his ideas in Philosophical Transaction of the Royal Society, some people challenged his ideas such as Robert Hooke and Christiaan Huygens to a point where Newton stopped publishing his work. During his life, he also suffered a nervous breakdown in a period of his life. He was convinced his friends were conspiring against him, and he couldn’t sleep at all for five
An impressive feat Sir Isaac Newton accomplished was the evolution of optics. Every scientist since Aristotle had believed light to be a simple entity, but Newton thought otherwise through his studies and building telescopes. It was thought that, “The idea that visual perception involves a medium somehow relating the beheld to the beholder is as old as ancient Greece,” (Darrigol 117). Isaac Newton challenged old ideas after an experiment with a prism and how it refracted light, as he saw this happen in a telescope where he saw the rings of colors distorting the image. This lea...
What is there to know about the three laws of motion? The three laws of motion are only one of the countless things formulated or developed by the astounding seventeenth century physicist and mathematician, Sir Isaac Newton. Sir Isaac Newton is considered one of the pioneers for the ever growing world of physics. Newton was the metaphorical outline for numerous brilliant physicists such as Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Richard Feynman, and Erwin Schrödinger. Many of those names may be much more familiar than that of Isaac Newton, but in the science world, Newton is a beloved figure since a vast number of rules and theories were derived from him. Newton’s rules and theories still hold true today, just like with his three laws of motion. One of Newtons many clever quotes or sayings is, “Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy.” Because Newton lived by this saying his entire life, he was a successful physicist who is still important in todays world. Even though Newton was a powerful mind in the science world, he was also an astute mathematician, making breakthroughs in the mathematical world as well.
Why do things fall when we drop them? How come we do not float as we would on the moon? Where do the colors of a rainbow come from? How long would it take to drive across Colorado if you are constantly changing speeds? All of these questions can now be answered, largely impart because of the great English philosopher, Sir Isaac Newton. In a time where religion was at war with science, Isaac Newton opened up people's minds to theories and reason. Isaac Newton was to be the starburst of the Enlightenment. He became the foundation of enlightened thought. It was the 17th century, the time of the Scientific Revolution. Many brilliant men contributed to this time, but it was Newton who solidified their thoughts and theories (Margaret, 10). Isaac Newton is one of the most influential people in the world. He not only invented so many new concepts and ideas, but he brought an understanding of the universe that we live in to people across the world. Isaac Newton not only changed the world with the invention of calculus, but also with his theory of light and color, and his invention of physical science and the law of universal gravitation (Margaret, 11).
Isaac Newton was born in Lincolnshire, on December 25, 1642. He was educated at Trinity College in Cambridge, and resided there from 1661 to 1696 during which time he produced the majority of his work in mathematics. During this time New ton developed several theories, such as his fundamental principles of gravitation, his theory on optics otherwise known as the Lectiones Opticae, and his work with the Binomial Theorem. This is only a few theories that that Isaac Newton contributed to the world of mathematics. Newton contributed to all aspects of mathematics including geometry, algebra, and physics.
Isaac Newton was one of the most influential scientists of all time with his major contribution being in mathematics, physics, and optics. Though he came from nothing, he made not only a name for himself, but made a mark in story that no one could ever erase. No one can deny that he played a major pivotal role during the scientific revolution.
Sir Isaac Newton Jan 4 1643 - March 31 1727 On Christmas day by the georgian calender in the manor house of Woolsthorpe, England, Issaac Newton was born prematurely. His father had died 3 months before. Newton had a difficult childhood. His mother, Hannah Ayscough Newton remarried when he was just three, and he was sent to live with his grandparents. After his stepfather’s death, the second father who died, when Isaac was 11, Newtons mother brought him back home to Woolsthorpe in Lincolnshire where he was educated at Kings School, Grantham. Newton came from a family of farmers and he was expected to continue the farming tradition , well that’s what his mother thought anyway, until an uncle recognized how smart he was. Newton's mother removed him from grammar school in Grantham where he had shown little promise in academics. Newtons report cards describe him as 'idle' and 'inattentive'. So his uncle decided that he should be prepared for the university, and he entered his uncle's old College, Trinity College, Cambridge, in June 1661. Newton had to earn his keep waiting on wealthy students because he was poor. Newton's aim at Cambridge was a law degree. At Cambridge, Isaac Barrow who held the Lucasian chair of Mathematics took Isaac under his wing and encouraged him. Newton got his undergraduate degree without accomplishing much and would have gone on to get his masters but the Great Plague broke out in London and the students were sent home. This was a truely productive time for Newton.
The first law is, “every object in a state uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.” This means if an object at rest tends to stay at rest, then an object that is moving tends to stay moving. So when a force is applied to the rested object, it should start moving, if the force is great enough. This is commonly referred to the, “law of inertia.”