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Physics

Newton deduced the principles of gravitation after seeing an apple fall. We don't sell apples, but we do sell wonderful physics kits to help you teach science in a fun and interesting way. Choose from some of the products below, or order one of our catalogs for a complete list.

Newton and the Apple

Okay, we all know the story of Isaac Newton getting hit in the head with the apple, but is this story true? Well, not exactly, but there's more truth to it than you might think.

Newton grew up on a farm, where he certainly saw many apples fall from trees. As a young man, Newton recalled those apples and wondered whether the same force that causes apples to fall would account for the motion of the moon across the sky.

Newton applied his newly-discovered mathematical technique, calculus (he called his technique fluxions) to the problem and deduced that, if his assumption was correct, the moon would orbit the Earth every 29.5 days. That's pretty close to the actual figure of 27.3 days.

So, no, Newton did not get hit with an apple, but he did get hit with a pretty good idea — thanks to an apple.

Featured Physics Products

Comments From Our Physics Customers

The study of physics has scared off many a student. Too bad their teachers hadn't heard about Maxwell Scientific's quality physics supplies. Read on.
"When I said I was going to teach holography, everyone figured I had busted the budget. That was before they heard about your excellent hologram kit."
Michael Roussiani. Bismark, ND
"My second graders loved the gyroscopes! And - miracle of miracles - the gyroscopes survived the encounter."
Maria Larson. Oak Park, IL
"The laser kit was up to your usual excellent standards, and the enclosed lesson plans saved me a weekend's worth of work."
Tom Barnett. Seattle, WA

Maxwell Scientific
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