CONTRIBUTIONS OF ISAAC NEWTON
Sir Isaac Newton was an English
physicist, whose discoveries have led him to be considered one of the most
important and influential scientists in history. This lesson will cover his
achievements and discoveries.
Sir Isaac Newton (December 25, 1642-March 20, 1727) was an English
physicist, mathematician and astronomer who is widely regarded as one of the
most influential scientists in history. In 1687, Newton published the paper
'Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy' in which universal gravitation and
the Three Laws of Motion are described. This paper became the basis for modern
engineering and revolutionized scientific thinking.
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Isaac Newton
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Laws of Motion
First Law
Newton's first law relates to inertia and states that an object will
remain at rest unless it is acted upon by an external force. Similarly, for
objects moving, an object will continue to move at a constant velocity unless
acted upon by a force.
Second Law
Newton's second law is the law of force and is most simply described as Force
equals mass times acceleration, or F=ma. Your weight is actually described
by this law: your mass times the gravity of Earth is equal to your weight.
Third Law
Newton's third law of motion states, For every action, there is an
equal and opposite reaction. When a body exerts a force on another body,
the second body will exert a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction
to the first body.
Discoveries
In addition to Newton's Laws of Motion, Newton also contributed to other
fields of science and mathematics.
Contribution to
Mathematics
In order to solve problems he encountered in his theories, such as
problems with instantaneous speed and maximum and minimum value problems, new
created a new form of math, calculus. The creation of calculus was
undoubtedly the most remarkable achievements in math by Newton. The development
of calculus opened up a new era in mathematics.
Contribution to
Optics
In 1666, Newton's studies with a prism revealed that white light is
composed of the wavelengths of multiple colors combined. This discovery
unlocked the secrets of light and color and became the basis of spectral
analysis.
