He changed our world: Sir Issac Newton
- POSTED ON: 5 Jan, 2019
- TOTAL VIEWS: 1686 Views
- POSTED BY: Madhuvanti S. Krishnan
- ARTICLE POINTS: 150 Points
He wasn’t expected to live beyond the first day of his birth — he was born premature. Yet, he lived to 84, and etched his name in history. Sir Isaac Newton was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, theologian, and author who is widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time, and a key figure in the scientific revolution.
Childhood
Newton was born in Woolsthorpe, England on January 4, 1643. His father, a farmer, died three months before his birth. His mother remarried when Newton was three, and left young Isaac in the care of his grandparents.
His mother tried to take him out of school so he could help on the farm, but he had no interest in becoming a farmer and was soon back at school. He grew up mostly alone. For the remainder of his life, he preferred to work and live alone.
Important discoveries
Reflecting telescope – This type of telescope uses mirrors to reflect light and form an image. Nearly all of the major telescopes used in astronomy today are reflecting telescopes
Some of the most important and famous ones include:
Gravity – Newton is probably most famous for discovering gravity. Outlined in the Principia, his theory about gravity helped explain the movements of the planets and the Sun. This theory is known today as Newton’s law of universal gravitation.
Laws of Motion – There are three fundamental laws of physics that laid the foundation for classical mechanics.
Calculus – Newton invented a whole new type of mathematics which he called “fluxions.” Today, it is referred to as calculus, and is used in advanced engineering and science.
Here’s more about the genius. Check out these fun facts and see how much you know about him by answering ‘true’ or ‘false’