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Isaac Newton Quotes

Physicist

Isaac Newton was an English physicist, mathematician, and astronomer, considered one of the greatest scientists in history. He made significant contributions to physics, mathematics, and astronomy, particularly with his three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation. Newton's work had a profound impact on the development of modern science and engineering.

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Famous Isaac Newton Quotes

“Qu. 31. Have not the small Particles of Bodies certain Powers, Virtues or Forces, by which they act at a distance, not only upon the Rays of Light for reflecting, refracting and reflecting them, but also upon one another for producing a great part of the Phænomena of Nature?”

Body Light Science Certain Force Nature Natural Virtue Distance Rays Particles Reflecting Rays Of Light

Book:MATHEMATICAL PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY OPTICS

Source: MATHEMATICAL PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY OPTICS

“Definition of inertia: 'The vis insita, or innate force of matter, is a power of resisting by which every body, as much as in it lies, endeavours to preserve its present state, whether it be of rest or of moving uniformly forward in a straight line.”

Matter States Body Moving Lying Force Lines Definitions Preserves Innate Resisting Endeavour Straight Lines Inertia Indolence

Author:Isaac Newton

“Bullialdus wrote that all force respecting ye Sun as its center & depending on matter must be reciprocally in a duplicate ratio of ye distance from ye center.”

Matter Force Sun Distance Ratios Duplicate

Book:Correspondence: 1676-1687

Source: Correspondence: 1676-1687

“Our design, not respecting arts, but philosophy, and our subject, not manual, but natural powers, we consider chiefly those things which relate to gravity, levity, elastic force, the resistance of fluids, and the like forces, whether attractive or impulsive; and therefore we offer this work as mathematical principles of philosophy; for all the difficulty of philosophy seems to consist in this from the phenomena of motions to investigate the forces of nature, and then from these forces to demonstrate the other phenomena.”

Source: Newton's Principia: The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy

“The alternation of motion is ever proportional to the motive force impressed; and is made in the direction of the right line in which that force is impressed.”

Made Force Lines Motive Impressed

Author:Isaac Newton

“It is indeed a matter of great difficulty to discover, and effectually to distinguish, the true motions of particular bodies from the apparent; because the parts of that immovable space, in which those motions are performed, do by no means come under the observation of our senses. Yet the thing is not altogether desperate; for we have some arguments to guide us, partly from the apparent motions, which are the differences of the true motions; partly from the forces, which are the causes and effects of the true motions.”

Mean Matter Body Force Causes Differences Space Effects Particular Argument Difficulty Guides Senses Observation Desperate Cause And Effect

Book:Delphi Collected Works of Sir Isaac Newton (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Collected Works of Sir Isaac Newton (Illustrated)

“Centripetal force is the force by which bodies are drawn from all sides, are impelled, or in any way tend, toward some point as to a center.”

Way Body Force Sides Centripetal Force

Book:The Principia: The Authoritative Translation: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy

Source: The Principia: The Authoritative Translation: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy

“I have presented principles of philosophy that are not, however, philosophical but strictly mathematical-that is, those on which the study of philosophy can be based. These principles are the laws and conditions of motions and of forces, which especially relate to philosophy.”

Philosophy Law Force Principles Study Conditions Philosophical Mathematical Relate

Book:The Principia: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy

Source: The Principia: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy

“That one body may act upon another at a distance through a vacuum, without the mediation of any thing else, by and through which their action and force may be conveyed from one to another, is to me so great an absurdity, that I believe no man, who has in philosophical matters a compentent faculty of thinking, can ever fall into it.”

Thinking Men Believe May Matter Body Action Fall Force I Believe Philosophical Distance Faculty Absurdity Vacuums Mediation

Book:Sir Isaac Newton's Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy and His System of the World

Source: Sir Isaac Newton's Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy and His System of the World

“God is able to create particles of matter of several sizes and figures and perhaps of different densities and forces, and thereby to vary the laws of nature, and make worlds of several sorts in several parts of the Universe.”

World Different Matter Able Law Universe Force Figures Size Laws Of Nature Particles Vary Density God Is Able

Book:Newton: Philosophical Writings

Source: Newton: Philosophical Writings

“Every particle of matter is attracted by or gravitates to every other particle of matter with a force inversely proportional to the squares of their distances.”

Matter Force Distance Squares Particles

Book:Delphi Collected Works of Sir Isaac Newton (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Collected Works of Sir Isaac Newton (Illustrated)

“When two forces unite, their efficiency double.”

Two Force Efficiency

Author:Isaac Newton

“A Vulgar Mechanick can practice what he has been taught or seen done, but if he is in an error he knows not how to find it out and correct it, and if you put him out of his road he is at a stand. Whereas he that is able to reason nimbly and judiciously about figure, force, and motion, is never at rest till he gets over every rub. (from a letter dated 25 May, 1694)”

Ifs Knows May Has Beens Reason Done Able Force Practice Figures Taught Letters Errors Get Over Vulgar

Book:Correspondence of Sir Isaac Newton and Professor Cotes: Including Letters of Other Eminent Men Now First Published from the Originals in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge; Together with an Appendix, Containing Other Unpublished Letters and Papers by Newton; with Notes, Synoptical View of the Philosopher's Life, and a Variety of Details Illustrative of His History

Source: Correspondence of Sir Isaac Newton and Professor Cotes: Including Letters of Other Eminent Men Now First Published from the Originals in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge; Together with an Appendix, Containing Other Unpublished Letters and Papers by Newton; with Notes, Synoptical View of the Philosopher's Life, and a Variety of Details Illustrative of His History

“Our present work sets forth mathematical principles of philosophy. For the basic problem of philosophy seems to be to discover the forces of nature from the phenomena of motions and then to demonstrate the other phenomena from these forces. It is to these ends that the general propositions in books 1 and 2 are directed, while in book 3 our explanation of the system of the world illustrates these propositions.”