Which scientist is famous for the formulation of the laws of motion and universal gravitation? A) Isaac Newton B) Albert Einstein C) Johannes Kepler D) Galileo Galilei
VerifiedAnswer: A) Isaac Newton
Explanation:
Isaac Newton is rightfully considered one of the most influential scientists in history, primarily known for his groundbreaking formulation of the three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation. These revolutionary discoveries laid the foundation for classical mechanics and changed our understanding of how objects move and interact in the physical world.
Newton's three laws of motion, published in his masterwork "Principia Mathematica" in 1687, describe the relationship between forces acting on a body and its motion. The first law states that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force. The second law establishes that force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma). The third law famously declares that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
The law of universal gravitation was equally revolutionary, proposing that every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a force proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This elegant mathematical relationship explained everything from why apples fall from trees to how planets orbit the sun.
While the other scientists mentioned made significant contributions to physics, they are not primarily known for these specific laws. Albert Einstein developed the theory of relativity, which actually built upon and refined Newton's work for extreme conditions. Johannes Kepler formulated the laws of planetary motion, describing elliptical orbits of planets. Galileo Galilei made crucial observations about motion and astronomy, laying important groundwork that Newton would later build upon.
Newton's work remained the cornerstone of physics for over 200 years and continues to be taught in schools worldwide because of its practical applications in engineering, space exploration, and everyday problem-solving. His mathematical approach to describing physical phenomena established the scientific method that we still use today.
