BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE | SIR ISAAC NEWTON

1. Basic Information: Sir Isaac Newton

Nationality: British

Born: 4 January 1643

Death: 31 March 1727

Note: While Newton lived, Britain continued to use the old-style Julian calendar instead of the modern Gregorian calendar used in much of Europe. As such, Newton's British birthday was Christmas Day 1642, because of an almost 10-day disparity between the calendars. He died on the Gregorian date of 20 March 1727. The dates given above are using the modern Gregorian calendar.

2. Major Physics Achievements:

a) defined the law of gravity, verifying Kepler's laws of planetary motion and essentially ending the geocentric view of the universe.

b) defined the three laws of motion.

c) enunciated principles of conservation of momentum & angular momentum.

d) invented the reflecting telescope and defined a corpuscular theory of light.

e) inventor of calculus (in parallel with Gottfried Leibniz) and applied it directly to the understanding of physical systems.

3. Other Major Achievements:

a) studied alchemy

b) member of Parliament of England 1689 to 1690, and in 1701.

c) wrote religious tracts, including some work disputing the Trinity.

d) became warden of the Royal Mint in 1696, oversaw the "great recoining," and became Master of the Mint in 1699, a position he held for the remainder of his life.