(Isaac) Newton

Isaac Newton ( 1643 – 1727 )

was an English Physicist and Mathematician. He is one of the most important characters of the 17th century because he developed principles of modern physics, as the law of motion. He is the person who has a great influence for our understanding of optics and motion today.

Isaac Newton was born on the 4th January 1643 in Whoolsthorpe, England. He was the first and last son of his family. Unfortunately, he had not the chance to get to know his father, Isaac Newton, because he died three months before his birth. His mother, Hannah Ayscough Newton, lived alone with Isaac up to 1646, and then she married Barnabas Smith who was a minister. She left Isaac with her husband and when Isaac was 12 she returned because of Smith’s death. At the age of thirteen he attended Grammar School in Grantham. School was the first time that he got in touch with chemicals. During this time he was in conflict with his mother because she wanted that little Isaac becomes a farmer. He improved his farmer skills and she understood that there’s no chance for him. So his mind was open for physics, mathematics and astronomy. In 1661 he went to Trinity College in Cambridge. He was elected to get financial support. Unfortunately, school had to close because of misery in 1665 and Newton decided to spent time in self-studies, invented the law of gravitation. In 1667 school restarted and in 1669 he got his title as a Master of Arts and became a professor at Cambridge.

One of Newton’s discovery was that white light existed of particles. The physician Hook questioned Newton’s discovery and said that white light existed of waves. During the time Newton and Hook became rivals. When Hook invented a theory about planetary motion in 1679, Newton invented his own theory in 1680. The year 1687 was one of Newton’s most successful years. He published his book “Philosophiae, Natrualis, Principia Mathematica”. This book describes many theories of physics such as optic ( light ). Interesting is that he invented three laws about bodies that are in motion.

1) A stationary body is staying stationary since an external force has influence on it.
2) Force is equal to mass times acceleration and the change in motion is proportional to applied force.
3) Every action has a equal reaction.

With this three laws he had the chance to find out for example the mass of the planets.
During the time he became famous and got in touch with many intellectuals. There was also a group of young students from England developing that supported Newton. His influence on every generation grew.
In 1696 his life changed to a more political life because he took part in the government and in 1703 he became the president of the Royal society.

At the end of his life Newton lived with his niece Catherine Conduitt and her husband John Conduitt in Winchetser, England. In 1723 he had health problems and suddenly his life changed. He died on the 31st of March in 1727 at he age of 85.

Physics

Famous Physicist

Pierre Curie
(Jospeh John) Thomson
(André-Marie) Ampère
(Johannes) Gutenberg
(Marie) Curie
(Isaac) Newton
(Albert) Einstein
(Max) Planck
(Erwin) Schroedinger

Pierre Curie (1859 - 1906) You don't need to be a scientist to know who Maria Curie-Sklodowska was. You can also read about her on our website. As the only one woman in the world, she gained the Nobel Prize in two different fields of knowledge. She shared one of them with her no less famous husband, Pierre Curie. Her devotion to science made a huge impression on him.

Jospeh John Thomson ( 1856 - 1940 ) A person who did many researches on cathode rays that, finally, led to the discovery of the electrons. Moreover, he was interested in the atomic structure and won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1906.

André-Marie Ampère (1775 – 1836)

The flow of electric charge is named electric current. Maybe you heard something about electric current and in addition to this about the measure ampere (A) in your every day life, too. But do you know or asked yourself after what this measure is named? If not, here is the answer: after the founder of electrodynamics- after André-Marie Ampère.

Johannes Gutenberg ( c. 1395 - 1468 ) How many newspapers, magazines and posters have you seen or read today? Many. But have you ever thought about the inventor who changed our life with the printing press? It was Johannes Gutenberg in 1440 with his printing press and movable blocks of letters and graphics that made materials available for the whole population.

Marie Curie (1867-1934)

discovered the beta activity which was used in the Second World War to help injured soldiers. Because of this and some other cognition she won the Nobel price twice, in chemistry and physics; but that is only an extract of the achievements Marie Curie reached in her life.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Einstein's career began as a teacher for mathematics and physics while he was expanding the idea of Max Planck's quantum theory by adding the hypothesis of the light quantum. Einstein's discoveries were revolutionary even for today's physics: it develops a new understanding of the ration between space and time, and also of the force of gravity. Of course, he won a Nobel prize for his discoveries.

Max Planck (1858-1947)

He had a big influence on the foundation of the basics in physics. A lot of his discoveries are named by his surname, like for example: the "Plancksche medal", the "Plancksche action quantum" or the "Plancksche radiation law". In 1918 Planck lent with the Nobel prize because he has established the quantum theory which succeeded 20 years later the break through with the help of Einstein and Niels Bohr.

Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger (1887- 1961)

After studying mathematics and physics in Vienna, Schrödinger became a professor for theoretical physics like Einstein and Max von Laue before him. Later he enunciates the "Schrödinger- equation" which builds the foundation of the quantum mechanics. In addition, he embosses the development of the molecular biology. With a lot of great chances to teach in different universities, Schrödinger also got awarded with a Nobel Prize in physics.

(Isaac) Newton

Famous Physicist

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