Sir Isaac Newton Biography in English | The Gravity Of Genius

Summary

Sir Isaac Newton, born on January 4th, 1643, in England, was a pioneering scientist whose contributions reshaped physics and mathematics. Best known for his theory of gravity and the laws of motion, Newton's groundbreaking work, *Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica*, laid the foundation for modern science. He also invented calculus, the reflecting telescope, and reformed England's currency as Warden of the Royal Mint. His life was marked by periods of isolation and intense study, and his legacy endures through his laws and inventions, which continue to influence the world today.

Takeaways

• 😀 Isaac Newton was born on January 4th, 1643, in Woolsthorpe, England, and was a scientist, mathematician, and astronomer.
• 😀 His father, Isaac Newton Sr., died three months before he was born, and his mother, Hannah Ayscough, remarried when he was three, leaving him in the care of his grandparents.
• 😀 Newton showed early academic promise, excelling at The King's School in Grantham before enrolling at Trinity College Cambridge in 1661.
• 😀 A famous story suggests that Isaac Newton formulated his theory of gravity when an apple fell on his head while sitting in his garden.
• 😀 Newton developed his groundbreaking theories on calculus, gravity, and the laws of motion during a two-year period of isolation caused by the Great Plague from 1665 to 1667.
• 😀 In 1696, he became the warden of the Royal Mint in London, where he worked to eliminate corruption and reform the currency.
• 😀 Newton was knighted by Queen Anne in 1705 and was elected president of the Royal Society in 1703.
• 😀 In 1687, Newton published 'Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica,' which introduced his laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation.
• 😀 Newton's law of universal gravitation helped explain planetary motion, and his laws of motion became the foundation for classical mechanics.
• 😀 In addition to his contributions to physics, Newton invented the reflecting telescope in 1668, which became widely used in astronomy.
• 😀 Newton is often summarized with the famous quote, 'For every action, there is always opposed an equal reaction.'

Q & A

What significant event in Isaac Newton's early life affected his upbringing?

Isaac Newton's father passed away three months before his birth, and his mother remarried when he was three years old, leaving him in the care of his grandparents.

What led Isaac Newton to return to school after his mother tried to take him out?

Isaac had no interest in becoming a farmer, which led to his return to school after his mother initially tried to have him help on the farm.

Where did Isaac Newton attend school, and what was his academic standing there?

Isaac Newton attended The King's School in Grantham, where he excelled academically and achieved the top rank in his class.

What event is famously associated with Isaac Newton's discovery of the theory of gravity?

Isaac Newton's theory of gravity is famously associated with the moment when an apple fell on his head while he was sitting in his garden.

What important positions did Isaac Newton hold later in life?

Later in life, Isaac Newton became the warden of the Royal Mint in London, president of the Royal Society, and was knighted by Queen Anne in 1705.

What significant work did Newton publish in 1687, and what did it cover?

In 1687, Isaac Newton published 'Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica,' which introduced the laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation, laying the foundation for modern physics.

What is Newton's law of universal gravitation, and why is it important?

Newton's law of universal gravitation states that every mass attracts every other mass with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. It helped explain the movements of celestial bodies and remains fundamental in physics.

How did Isaac Newton contribute to the development of calculus?

Isaac Newton invented a new type of mathematics called fluxions, which is now known as calculus. This branch of mathematics is crucial for advanced engineering and scientific studies.

What innovation did Isaac Newton make in the field of astronomy?

Isaac Newton invented the reflecting telescope in 1668, which uses mirrors to reflect light and form an image, a design that is still used in most major telescopes today.

What is one of the famous quotes attributed to Isaac Newton, and what does it mean?

One of Isaac Newton's famous quotes is, 'For every action, there is always an equal and opposite reaction.' It refers to the third law of motion, which explains that forces in nature always occur in pairs.