Isaac Newton

How did Newton's invention of the reflecting telescope affect the field of astronomy?

• It allowed astronomers to see clearer images, without distorted or lost colors

• It allowed astronomers to discover the existence of Jupiter and Saturn

• It made astronomers realize that sunlight contains different colors

• It allowed astronomers to realize that the earth revolves around the sun

According to Newton, what kinds of objects are affected by gravity?

• Only objects inside the earth's atmosphere, like apples

• Only objects that orbit the sun, like planets

• Only objects with a lot of mass, like human beings

• All objects in the universe

What can you infer from the fact that Newton was elected President of the Royal Society?

• His personality made him popular among his fellow scientists

• His fellow scientists understood the importance of his scientific achievements

• His fellow scientists appreciated the word he's done for the Royal Mint

• He was a good friend of the King of England

What type of object could you best measure using calculus?

• A very large geometric object, like an Egyptian pyramid

• An object with curves and irregular surfaces

• A object so distant you need binoculars to see it

• A very close object, like anything under a microscope

How is the moon's orbit around the earth related to an apple falling from a tree?

• The earth's gravity keeps the moon in orbit and also pulls objects toward the ground

• The earth, the moon, and an apple are all spherical, so they all have gravity

• The moon's gravity holds apples on tree branches, while the earth's gravity pull apples towards the ground

• The moon's gravity affects bodies of water; the earth's gravity affects solid objects

At the Royal Mint, Isaac Newton helped catch and punish counterfeiters. What is a counterfeiter?

• Someone who breaks the laws of physics

• Someone who criticizes the king

• Someone who publishes inaccurate scientific theories

• Someone who prints fake money

Legend has it that a fallen apple was key to Newton's ideas on gravity. What term could you use to describe the apple in this capacity?

• Dangerous

• Omen

• Inspiration

• Delicious

What conclusion can you draw from the story of Isaac Newton's life?

• He wasn't nearly as smart as Einstein

• He revolutionized several different fields within math and science

• His contributions to math and science were unrecognized until after he died

• His most important contributions came with the Royal Mint

Isaac Newton proved himself to be a polymath. If the prefix "poly-" means "many," what can you infer about what a polymath is?

• It's someone who comes up with hundreds of scientific equations over his lifetime

• It's someone who is interested in many different fields of study

• It's someone who develops mathematical proofs about polynomials

• It's someone who memorizes the multiplication tables

Sir Isaac Newton is buried at Westminster Abbey in London. Which of these other famous people is most likely to also be buried there?

• George Washington

• King Louis XIV of France

• Queen Elizabeth I

• Albert Einstein