ISAAC NEWTON

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), an English scientist, astronomer, and mathematician, invented a new kind of mathematics, discovered the secrets of light and color, and showed how the universe is held together. He is sometimes described as «one of the greatest names in the history of human thought» because of his great contributions to mathematics, physics, and astronomy.

Newton was born at Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, on December 25, 1642. He attended Grantham grammar school. As a boy, he was more interested in making mechanical devices than in studying. His youthful inventions included a small windmill that could grind wheat and corn, a water clock run by the force of dropping water, and a sundial. He left school when he was 14 to help his widowed mother to manage her farm. But he spent so much time reading, he was sent back to school.

He entered Trinity College, Cambridge University, in 1661. He showed no exceptional ability during his college career, and graduated in 1665 without any particular distinction. He returned to Cambridge as a fellow of Trinity College in 1667.

Newton became professor of mathematics at Cambridge in 1669. He lectured once a week on arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, optics, or other mathematical subjects. He was elected to the Royal Society in 1672. He became president of the Royal Society in 1703 and was reelected annually until his death. Queen Anne knighted Newton in 1705. He died in 1727 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Newton discovered how the universe is held together through his theory of gravitation. He found that the force of universal gravitation makes every pair of bodies in the universe attract each other. The force depends on the amount of matter in the bodies being attracted and the distance between them. The earth's pull is called the weight of the body. He also proved that many types of motion are due to one kind of force.

Newton concluded his investigation on gravity and motion in 1665 and 1666. Nothing was heard of them for nearly 20 years. Newton 's discoveries on the laws of motion and theories of gravitation were published in 1687 in Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy). This work, usually called Principia or Principia Mathematica, is considered one of the greatest contributions in the history of science.

Newton's discoveries in optics were equally spectacular. He explained why bodies appear to be colored. The discoveries laid the foundation for the science of spectrum analysis. He published the results of his experiments and studies in Optics (1704). The study of light led Newton to consider constructing a new type of telescope in which a reflecting mirror was used instead of a combination of lenses.

Newton was modest in his character. He said of himself shortly before his death, «I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, 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».

Need a custom essay on ISAAC NEWTON ?

Order a custom essay now!