Sir Isaac Newton
Born in England in 1643, Sir Isaac Newton could easily have ended up as a farmer instead of becoming one of the world’s greatest scientific minds. When his mother tried to convince him to become a farmer, he told her how much he hated it and begged to be allowed to continue his studies. His mother agreed, and eventually Newton went to Cambridge University where his love of mathematics grew.
Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica
Sir Isaac Newton's first edition copy with his handwritten corrections for the second edition. This book can be seen in the Wren Library of Trinity College, Cambridge.
Isaac Newton observed the world and the universe around him and tried to explain natural phenomena through mathematics. He developed a number of scientific laws using mathematical formulas that explain how things work.
His contributions to science and mathematics are many – these are just some of them:
Newton’s laws of motions – These laws are fundamentally important in physics and explain what will happen to objects when they are pushed or pulled.
Gravity – Newton asked himself why things fall down to Earth and not just fly off into space. He often explained gravity to people by using the example of an apple falling from the tree. He demonstrated that gravity is a force that is measurable and explainable through mathematics.
Planetary motion – Newton linked universal gravitation to Kepler’s laws of planetary motion.
Fluids – Newton studied fluids and measured how they moved by measuring their viscosity and finding predictable properties to fluids. Fluids that have such properties are called Newtonian fluids. (Fluids that don't have these properties are referred to as non-Newtonian fluids.)
Optics – Newton studied how light was refracted through prisms and discovered that sunlight was a composition of all colours. He invented the refracting telescope.
Mathematics – Newton’s contribution in this field was huge. Perhaps most famous is the development of integral calculus.
Science practice – Newton found science to be disjointed and that often explanations were given that only explained one phenomenon but not another related one. He believed science should be predictable – that it should be governed by laws. He paid attention to the importance of the scientific method. He also recognised that scientists build on the works of each other.
If I have been able to see further, it is only because I stood on the shoulders of giants
Statue of Sir Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton (1643–1726) entered Cambridge University in 1661. He was elected a Fellow of Trinity College in 1667 and Lucasian Professor of Mathematics in 1669. He remained at the university, lecturing in most years, until 1696.
Sir Isaac Newton died in 1726, leaving behind a legacy of scientific contributions that will see him as one of the greatest scientific minds of all times.
Nature of science
Sir Isaac Newton is an example of one of the most influential scientists. Closer examination of his work allows us to discuss what a scientific law is and provides a great way to examine the nature of science.
Related content
Are you new to the Science Learning Hub and looking for resources to teach physics? Have a look at our introductory video Help, I’m teaching physics.
We have a range of recorded webinars to support you with your physics teaching. Have a look at the Physics made simple series – force and motion, gravity, waves and Exploring magnetism. These all have links to related resources at the bottom.
Whether you are teaching juniors or seniors, these curations of resources provide a helpful one-stop-shop for ideas.
Useful links
For further information on Sir Isaac Newton, see these links below:
Isaac Newton: Who He Was, Why Apples Are Falling – National Geographic
Isaac Newton – Britannica
Isaac Newton – Wikipedia
Newton’s Laws of Motion – NASA
