Sir Isaac Newton (25th Dec.
1642 - 20th Mar. 1727)
World famous scientist Sir
Isaac Newton was born at woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire, England,
on Christmas day in 1642. As a baby Isaac was a weakling. Having lost his
father before his birth, he was born prematurely. The widowed mother lost all
hope of the baby’s survival. She never had the faintest idea that this baby
would one day not only become one of the world’s greatest scientists, but also
live long. When Newton
was two years old, his mother remarried. He was then shifted to his
grandmother’s house and she raised him. This young boy engaged himself in some
activity or other. He made a sundial in stone. Besides, he made a watch that
ran on water and a model of a windmill. The sun clock he made is on display at London’s Royal
Museum. He also loved
reading.
When he was 14 years old, his
mother was once again widowed. He started living with his mother now, and
started helping her at their farm. Soon his mother realized that as he
approached adulthood his interest in farming was waning. At home he would
daydream. He began making models using wood. Finally, his mother agreed to send
him to college. Isaac was thrilled. At the age of 18, Newton
joined the famous Trinity College at Cambridge.
After four years, in 1665, he gained his graduate degree in mathematics from Cambridge University. In college his mathematics
professor Isaac Barrow recognized his potential and started encouraging and
guiding him and later, became his friend.
At that time the plague
epidemic raged all over England.
About ten per cent of the country’s population died of this epidemic. Schools
and colleges were closed. Cambridge
University too was
closed. Newton
was back at his mother’s farm. Till the time the university reopened after a
year and half, Newton
stayed with his mother. The time he spent here was the most productive period
of his life. His greatest discoveries were made during this time (1665-66) and
it is also known as miraculous year in Newton’s
life. He laid the foundations of the calculus and the laws of motion. He also
examined the elements of circular motion and applied his analysis to the moon
and other planets. Seeing a falling apple gave him insight into the law of
universal gravitation. The seeds of his famous work on optics were also laid
then. He later elaborated these and was recognized as the world’s greatest
discoveries of those times.
In 1667, when the university
reopened, Newton
was appointed lecturer. He made quick progress and in 1669, at the age of 26,
he was appointed Lucasian Professor of mathematics in place of Professor Isaac
Barrow.
For long Newton was involved in the research on light.
Newton’s first work at Trinity College
was in optics. While at home, Newton
had conducted many experiments in his darkened room with a glass prism. When he
let in a chink of daylight between the curtains or a ray of white light passed
through a prism, it was refracted.
But different parts of the
beam were refracted in different amounts, and the beam emerged split into
several colors. The colors were same and in the same order, as they appeared in
the rainbow : red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Newton came to
the conclusion that white light could be split up by the prism into a spectrum
of merging colors in the sequence red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo,
violet, and these colors, when recombined by the prism, formed white light. Newton called it a
crucial experiment or Experiment crucis.
He also designed and
constructed the reflecting telescope. This telescope had an image that was not
formed by a lens, but by a concave mirror. James Gregory had proposed such use
of a concave mirror earlier, but Newton
was the first to make such an instrument. The telescope aroused more interest
than his lectures because here was something that could be seen, handled and
tested. The Royal Society, heard tales of this ‘Wondrous Instrument’ and in
1671, it caused such a sensation that it was demonstrated to King Charles II,
on special request. The small telescope, which performed so well, aroused great
interest at the Royal Society. As a result, Newton was elected a member of the Royal
society, to which he donated the reflecting telescope. The diameter of the
mirror was one inch. One such reflecting telescope is installed at the
California Institute of Technology’s Mount Palomar Observatory. Its diameter is
about 515 cm.
His initial research papers
focused on light. Many scholars opposed these vehemently, though some praised
it. He had replied to Christiaan Huygens and Robert Hookes criticisms. By then
a popular figure, Newton,
who was psychologically incapable of accepting criticism, was so upset that he
swore not to publish any scientific work. Now he quietly worked to develop the
theoretical principles underlying his experimental works. Besides, he
represented the university in parliament.
In 1664, the famous
astronomer Edmund Halley visited Newton.
He had come to discuss Kepler’s laws on the motion o planets. Halley came to
realize that Newton
had laid down the basic laws of gravitation through his calculations and
conclusions. At Halley’s urging, Newton
reproduced the proofs and expanded then into a paper. Halley at once recognized
the importance of what Newton
had done and also, realized that he was dealing with a genius. He persuaded Newton to publish his
works and results. He volunteered to bear all the production cost.
His initial research papers
focused on light. Many scholars opposed these vehemently, though some praised
it. He had replied to Christiaan Huygens and Robert Hookes criticisms. By then
a popular figure, Newton,
who was psychologically incapable of accepting criticism, was so upset that he
swore not to publish any scientific work. Now he quietly worked to develop the
theoretical principles underlying his experimental works. Besides, he
represented the university in parliament.
In 1664, the famous
astronomer Edmund Halley visited Newton.
He had come to discuss Kepler’s laws on the motion o planets. Halley came to
realize that Newton
had laid down the basic laws of gravitation through his calculations and
conclusions. At Halley’s urging, Newton
reproduced the proofs and expanded then into a paper. Halley at once recognized
the importance of what Newton
had done and also, realized that he was dealing with a genius. He persuaded Newton to publish his
works and results. He volunteered to bear all the production cost.
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