E: Sir Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton, a British mathematician and physicist, was one of the foremost scientific intellects of all time.  In 1687, Newton published Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (also known as just Principia) in which he stated his theories on gravity. Newton found that every object in the universe attracts every other object through a force that we call “gravity.” The degree of attraction depends on the mass of the objects and the distance between them. The amount of force can be determined through mathematics. The legend of how Newton discovered his theory of gravity begins with him taking a nap under an apple tree. Newton was then awakened by one of the apples falling on his head, inspiring the understanding of gravitational force.  Newton would also be credited with inventing calculus and formulating new theories on optics and mechanics.  One such discovery was his first law of motion which states that objects tend to keep doing what they are doing—or what is defined as inertia.