Sir Isaac Newton is one of the
most influential scientists of all time. He came up with numerous
theories and contributed ideas to many different fields including
physics, mathematics and philosophy.
Read on for interesting facts, quotes and information about Isaac Newton.
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Born in England, Isaac Newton was a highly
influential physicist, astronomer, mathematician, philosopher,
alchemist and theologian.
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In 1687, Newton published Philosophae Naturalis
Principia Mathematica, what is widely regarded to be one of the
important books in the history of science. In it he describes universal
gravitation and the three laws of motion, concepts that remained at
the forefront of science for centuries after.
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Newton’s law of universal gravitation describes
the gravitational attraction between bodies with mass, the earth and
moon for example.
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Newton’s three laws of motion relate the forces
acting on a body to its motion. The first is the law of inertia, it
states that ‘every object in motion will stay in motion until acted
upon by an outside force’. The second is commonly stated as ‘force
equals mass times acceleration’, or F = ma. The third and final law is
commonly known as ‘to every action there is an equal and opposite
reaction’.
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Other significant work by Newton includes the principles of conservation related to momentum and angular momentum, the refraction of light, an empirical law of cooling, the building of the first practical telescope and much more.
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Newton moved to London in 1696 and took up a role
as the Warden of the Royal Mint, overseeing the production of the Pound
Sterling.
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Newton was known to have said that his work on
formulating a theory of gravitation was inspired by watching an apple
fall from a tree. A story well publicized to this very day.
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Famous Isaac Newton quotes include: "Plato is my friend - Aristotle is my friend - but my greatest friend is truth."
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"If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of Giants."
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"I can calculate the motions of the heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people."
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"I do not know what I may appear to the world, but
to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore,
and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a
prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all
undiscovered before me."
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"Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things."
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