PHYSICS SEMINAR
ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
Robert Lacroix
Physics Department
Bishop's University
Friday, March 27, 2009
12:30 pm
NICOLLS 1
Gravitation is the most pervading force of nature. As the earth, so the sun, the moon, every planet, and every star in the Galaxy exert a pull on our bodies. This force keeps us on the earth, shapes the orbits of the planets, and gives galaxies their beautiful shapes. But gravitation is the least studied force in the physics curriculum, from elementary to Honours.
Everybody acknowledges Newton for discovering the universal law of gravitation, but few can actually tell how he did it. This talk will address questions such as:
- What made Newton believe that the gravitational attraction between bodies is universal?
- What was the evidence for him, which was missed by everybody else?
- What convinced him that the planets are attracted by the sun?
- How did he arrive to his famous formula?
... and many other questions about this great discovery.
