The Principia

And first law of motion

 

The principia consisted of a diagnostic look at how bodies in motion act.  It consisted of 3 main parts; the first part explaining the laws of motion, the second describing his theory on fluids, and the third showing the law of gravity at work in the universe.  The 3 laws of motion and the law of gravity are what Newton is most well known for.  The first law of motion states that an object in motion will stay in motion unless an external force is acted upon the object.  This can be applied to someone on ice skates on a very large lake that is frozen over smoothly.  Pretend that this person is moving along on the lake and stops to glide after attaining a speed.  This speed will remain the same, excluding any friction which is an external force, unless the person runs out of lake or is stopped.

 

 

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                                                                                                      (Copyright: Microsoft clipart file)

 

Title Page

 

Link to page 3

 

Link to page 5