Sir Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton was one of the greatest scientists of all time. He is

best-known for his discovery of the law of universal gravitation and the

laws of motion. Much of modern science is based on the understanding and

use of his laws.

Isaac Newton was born on Christmas Day, 1642, in the small English

town of Woolsthorpe. His father, a farmer, died shortly before Isaac was

born. When the boy was three years old, his mother remarried and moved to

another town. Isaac stayed on at the farm in Woolsthorpe with his

grandmother. After attending small country school, he was sent at the age

of twelve to the Kings School in the near by town of Grantham.

At first Isaac was a poor student. He cared little for school work,

perferring to paint, make kites, write in notebooks, or invent toys. He

made no friends. Silent and dreamy, he was at the bottom of his class.

Oddly, it was a savage kick by a school bully that caused Newton's great

mind to awaken. The mild, dreamy boy flew into a rage and beat the other

boy thoroughly. Isaac determined to beat the bully in school work as well.

Soon Isaac was at the head of his class.

In 1656 Newton's stepfather died. His mother returned to

Woolsthorpe to take care of the farm left by Newton's father. But she could

not manage the farm by herself. Isaac was taken out of school and brought

home to help her.

As a farmer, Newton proved to be a dismal failure. He neglected the

necessary chores and thought only of books to study and mechanical things

to make. There are many stories about him at that time that show how absent

minded he was becoming. One day while he was leading a horse, the animal

slipped its bridle and ran away. ...

... middle of paper ...

...ly

called the Principia, after its Latin title. Many scientists think its the

most important scientific book ever written. It contains Newton's famous

three laws of motion. It also contained his law of universal gravitation.

This law applies not only to heavenly bodies. It also explains why a

baseball drops from your hand to the ground and why a particle of dust

settles on a bookshelf.

During later years Newton served his country in Parliament, as well

as in other ways. In 1703 he was elected president of the Royal Society,

and in 1705 he was knighted by Queen Anne. Isaac Newton died in 1727. He

was burried in Westminster Abbey, among the great men of England. His

statue stands today in the hall of Trinity College, Cambridge University.

Bibliography:

David C. knight. "isaac Newtons, Mastermind of modern Science" Groiler inc.

Canada, 1969.