Who was greater- Newton- the theorist or Newton- the experimenter?

Question

Sir Isaac Newton.

Answer 1

Beyond question, it was his work as a theorist. The story about the falling apple is about as apocryphal as the one about George Washington and the cherry tree.

To appreciate what Newton did, we must realize that he came after Kepler and Galileo. Kepler, using Tycho's observational data, formulated three laws of planetary motion -- ellipses, equal areas in equal times, and the cube of the orbital radius equals the square of the period. He did explain why these laws obtained. That was left to Newton.

Galileo was a great experimenter, observer, and theorist. His work with the inclined plane and falling objects produced g, the acceleration due to gravity ... but Galileo did not have the calculus, which explains instantaneous motion. That was left for Newton.

Because of Kepler and Galileo, Newton had all the data he needed. His great work -- all theoretical -- was to explain the results obtained by Kepler and Galileo. Newton's three laws of motion -- uniform linear motion, F = ma, and conservation of momentum -- are all theoretical constructs which, when coupled with the calculus (his invention) and applied to "action at a distance" -- universal gravitation -- Kepler's and Galileo's results were derivable.

His invention of the calculus, described opaquely in the Principia Mathematica, was for use as a tool to support his work on gravitation.

Newton was no slouch as an experimentalist -- sometimes. He performed top quality leading-edge experiments with optics, backing up his results with theoretical insights. He also devoted considerable time and energy to the pseudoscience of alchemy -- turning base metals into gold -- with lesser success.

But it was his theoretical work that established his lasting reputation.

Answer 2

Newton the theorist without theorist there s no experiment. theory come first before experiment

Answer 3

it was said that when the apple fell on his head the theory of gravity got into his head.
There are experiments done by great men. But this one was uncalled for.
So it was because of the experiment that the force of nature made that Newton discovered gravity.
In today"s science its the other way around.
Newton was great all around ,whether it was theory or experiments.
The only experiment where he did not succed was on Relativity theory. Relativity theroy was first formulated officially by Galileo Galilei.

Answer 4

Atoms are the difficulty-unfastened development blocks of basic remember. Atoms can connect mutually to style molecules, which in turn style most of the products around you. Atoms are composed of debris called protons, electrons and neutrons. Protons carry a excellent electric fee, electrons carry a unfavourable electric fee and neutrons carry no electric fee in any respect. The protons and neutrons cluster mutually interior the crucial area of the atom, called the nucleus, and the electrons 'orbit' the nucleus. a definite atom could have an identical sort of protons and electrons and maximum atoms have a minimum of as many neutrons as protons. Protons and neutrons are the two composed of different debris called quarks and gluons. Protons incorporate 2 'up' quarks and one 'down' quark mutually as neutrons incorporate one 'up' quark and a couple of 'down' quarks. The gluons are to blame for binding the quarks to a minimum of one yet another.

Answer 5

Much more influential as a theorist. "Mathematician" would be a better word. Two words: Principia Mathematica.

Answer 6

without the theory, there is no experiment