Physics textbooks generally present the equation for universal gravitation as if it sprang fully formed from the head of Isaac Newton, which it most certainly did not. This analysis traces the development of Classical/Newtonian gravity as it evolved from Aristotle to Copernicus to Kepler, Horrocks, Roberval, Boulliau, Baliani, Borelli, Hooke, Halley, Wren, Newton, and Cavendish, and then finally on to C. V. Boys and J. H. Poynting. By focusing on the evolution of the underlying physics, we unfold a fascinating story that has never quite been told before, one we hope will provide insights useful in the classroom.
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and
A.
Wilmer Duff
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. These are the earliest appearances that I have found in textbooks in English.© 2021 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by American Association of Physics Teachers.
2021
Author(s)
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