Need to Know about Newton
What holiday was he born on?
Christmas Day
Define "Force"
Any push or pull on an object
Which scientist's work did Newton use for inspiration for most of his major works?
Johannes Kepler
Describe one of Newton's three laws of motion
1. Inertia - An object at rest will stay at rest and an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted on by an external force
2. Force - an object's acceleration is dependant on its mass and the amount of force applied
3. Action and Reaction - for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
What common object helped lead to Newton's "discovery" of gravity?
An apple/apple tree
Define "Mass"
a measure of an object’s resistance to acceleration
Who encouraged Newton to pursue higher education?
His Uncle (William Ayscough)
What astronomic tool did Newton invent?
Reflecting Telescope
What university did Newton attend?
Cambridge University
Define "Inertia"
The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion
Which scientist's work later replaced Newton's as the groundwork for physics?
Albert Einstein
What form of math is Newton accredited for?
Calculus
Why do we call him "Sir" Isaac Newton
He was knighted by Queen Anne in 1705
Define "Optics"
Newton’s studies on light, specifically the nature and composition of white light
Which philosopher did Newton often disagree with?
Aristotle
Describe the Inverse Square Law and provide its formula
The intensity of a force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from its source.
Intensity= 1/distance2
What was the full name of Newton's most famous published work? (in English)
Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy
Define a Newton (as a unit) and provide the equation
Unit of force, renamed in his honor. Equation: N = kg*(m/s2)
What was Newton's wife's name?
He never married and died a virgin!
REVIEW QUESTION! Why was Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation different/contradictory to Aristotelian cosmology?
Aristotle believed in two realms: the Terrestrial and Heavenly, which he claimed had two separate laws of motion. Newton's work supported that all things are subject to the same laws of motion and gravity.