77.8k views
4 votes
How was Newton’s model of the Universe, different from those of Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler?

User Jayphelps
by
7.7k points

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

Newton's model of the Universe differed from those of Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler in several ways. Copernicus proposed a heliocentric model, Galileo observed evidence for it, Kepler described the elliptical paths of planets, and Newton introduced the law of universal gravitation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Newton’s model of the Universe differed significantly from those of Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler. While Copernicus introduced the heliocentric model and moved away from the Ptolemaic geocentric system, Kepler used mathematics to describe the orbits of planets as elliptical rather than circular. Galileo provided observational evidence that supported the heliocentric model. Isaac Newton, on the other hand, synthesized these understandings into a comprehensive system with his laws of motion and the universal law of gravitation. Newton's work allowed the explanation of the motions of heavenly bodies to be based on physical principles rather than only on observations, as was previously the case. With the publication of his work Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, Newton presented a model for the universe that unified the theories that came before him. Newton's theories differed in that they introduced the concept of gravity as a predictable force that explained not only planetary motion but physical interactions more broadly. Thus, Newton's work established a framework that could predict the behavior of the universe and extended beyond simplistic observations, integrating physics into the laws that govern celestial phenomena.

User Dan Johnson
by
8.1k points