I Thought Newton Only Discovered Gravity

An engraving of Sir Isaac Newton by Caroline Hulot.

Yes, Sir Isaac Newton is best known for his work on gravity, but he worked on and discovered many other scientific wonders during his lifetime (1642-1727). He was also the first scientist to be knighted, which is a great honor in England and the reason "Sir" precedes his name.

What Else Did Sir Isaac Newton Discover?

Besides his work on universal gravitation (gravity), Newton developed the three laws of motion which form the basic principles of modern physics. His discovery of calculus led the way to more powerful methods of solving mathematical problems. His work in optics included the study of white light and the discovery of the color spectrum. It was his experiments with light that first made him famous.

How Did Newton Discover the Color Spectrum?

Newton performed an experiment using a glass prism. For the experiment he placed a glass prism in front of a beam of light projected through a tiny hole in a window shade. You can perform a virtual version of the experiment below. You just need to place the mouse cursor over the prism to darken the room and reveal the color spectrum.