Accomplishments and Failures
Newton had always shown great interest in optics – a major branch in physics. He started finding explanations and discoveries in the optical properties of light. Newton gave out lectures on the optical field from 1670 to 1672. Newton discovered how a prism worked. His thorough investigation on dispersion of light and prism’s ability to decompose a streak of white light into a spectrum of colours started making waves around the world. People started taking note of the immense possibilities of light and its reflections. Standing on this find, Newton stated that a lens could use the spectrum to form white light. Newton came up with his famous Newton's theory of colour. Newton developed the first ever reflecting telescope in 1668. The year 1671 brought great encouragement for Newton’s researches. The Royal Society asked him to discuss and show how his reflecting telescope worked. Newton was thrilled with the huge interest shown in his new theories surrounding telescope. This made him bring out a collection of his notes ‘On Colour’. This later got published as ‘Opticks’ (1704). Newton became famous mostly because of his theories of gravitation and mechanics. Sir Isaac Newton started off again with celestial mechanics and the effects of gravitational pull on all the planets and their orbits. His theory of gravitation got a major boost with a comet appearing in the winter of 1680-1681.
Soon after this, Newton started recording all his researches surrounding the movement of planetary orbits. During this period Newton propounded the law of universal gravitation. Newton published ‘Principia’ on 5th July 1687. This book had discussions on the three universal laws of motion. The industrial revolution took great help from this theory. A number of machineries were developed and invented based on the theory of gravitation. Principia made Newton an international figure. Newton was followed and respected by several admirers around the world.
Growing up in school he did poorly. Also, he failed at running the family farm.
Soon after this, Newton started recording all his researches surrounding the movement of planetary orbits. During this period Newton propounded the law of universal gravitation. Newton published ‘Principia’ on 5th July 1687. This book had discussions on the three universal laws of motion. The industrial revolution took great help from this theory. A number of machineries were developed and invented based on the theory of gravitation. Principia made Newton an international figure. Newton was followed and respected by several admirers around the world.
Growing up in school he did poorly. Also, he failed at running the family farm.