The work of Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) in mathematics

and physics changed the way we view the natural world.

Newton helped develop powerful ideas about light and the
movement of the planets. He also invented a special kind of
mathematics called calculus. Newton is perhaps best known
today for his laws of motion and gravitation. These laws
provided the basis for modern mechanical science. Newton's
laws are still the fundamental building blocks for how we
understand concepts such as speed, velocity, and acceleration.
Newton had a rough childhood. From a young age, he lived
with his grandmother in a small town north of London.
Newton struggled in school until he entered Cambridge
University. In addition to his regular coursework at
Cambridge, Newton also studied the work of well-known
mathematicians and scientists. Many of Newton's early papers
were met with resistance because he was proposing entirely
new ways of looking at the world. In 1687, Newton published
his Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, a book in
three volumes that included his now-famous laws of motion.
(The title of the book, which people often call simply Principia,
means "Natural Principles of Mathematical Philosophy" in
Latin.)
Newton's First Law of Motion
Newton's first law is often called the law of inertia. This law
states that an object in motion will stay in motion until an
external force is applied to the object. Similarly, an object at rest
will stay at rest until an external force is applied to the object.
Consider a toy car sitting atop a flat surface. The toy car will not
move until a force, such as a push, acts upon the car. Once
moving, the toy car will maintain its speed for a certain distance,
until the car eventually slows and stops. We determine the
speed of an object by measuring the distance the object travels
in a given amount of time. In the case of the toy car, the car loses
its speed because of an exterior force, friction. The friction
between the car's wheels and the flat surface slows and
eventually stops the car. Can you think of another application of
Newton's first law?

Newton's Second Law of Motion

Newton's second law states that force equals mass times
acceleration. To understand acceleration, you must understand
velocity. Velocity is the speed of an object combined with the
direction the object is traveling. Newton understood that
applying force to an object would change the object's velocity by
affecting either the object's speed or direction.
To illustrate the second law of motion, think again about
pushing a toy car. The way an object moves is related to the
object's mass. Because the car has little mass, it is easy to push.
Now think about pushing a real car. Most likely, you will not be
able to move it very far. The mass of the real car is too great
much greater than the mass of the toy car. Therefore, the toy
car's acceleration will be much greater than that of the real car.
Acceleration is the change of an object's velocity during a
given amount of time. You can compute acceleration by
subtracting the starting speed from the ending speed and
dividing the result by the amount of time needed to produce the
change in speed. The greater an object's mass is, the more force
is needed to produce a change in the object's acceleration. Can
you think of another example to illustrate Newton's second law?
Newton's Third Law of Motion
Newton's third law of motion states that an equal
and opposite reaction exists for every action.
According to this law, forces in nature always act
in pairs. Consider a helicopter lifting into the air.
The spinning rotors on the helicopter push air
downward. In reaction, the air pushes upward on
the rotors. The upward force from the air makes
the helicopter rise. Or consider jumping off a
diving board. As you jump, you push down on the
board. The board pushes upward on you, causing
you to fly into the air. Can you think of another
example demonstrating Newton's third law?
All three of Newton's laws of motion help us understand how
and why objects move the way they do. Newton's laws give us
the tools we need to describe speed, velocity, and acceleration.