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Single Idea 13593

[filed under theme 27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 1. Mechanics / d. Gravity ]

Full Idea

Newton showed that the apparently different kinds of processes of falling towards the earth and orbiting the sun are essentially the same.

Gist of Idea

Newton showed that falling to earth and orbiting the sun are essentially the same

Source

report of Isaac Newton (Principia Mathematica [1687]) by Brian Ellis - Scientific Essentialism 3.08

Book Ref

Ellis,Brian: 'Scientific Essentialism' [CUP 2007], p.125

A Reaction

I quote this to illustrate Newton's permanent achievement in science, in the face of a tendency to say that he was 'outmoded' by the advent of General Relativity. Newton wasn't interestingly wrong. He was very very right.

The 5 ideas with the same theme [weak long-range force attracting objects]:

13593 Newton showed that falling to earth and orbiting the sun are essentially the same [Newton, by Ellis]
13605 Gravity isn't a force, because it produces effects without diminishing [Mayer]
20636 Newton is a special case of Einstein's general theory, with an infinite speed of light [Einstein, by Close]
21236 Instead of gravitational force, we now have a pervasive gravitational field [Farmelo]
21167 Gravity is unusual, in that it always attracts and never repels [New Sci.]