Which statement about the development of newton’s theory of universal gravitation is correct

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2 months ago

Newton's theory of universal gravitation, formulated in the late 17th century, posits that every mass attracts every other mass in the universe. Here are several key statements about its development:

1. **Inspired by Kepler’s Laws**: Newton's work was influenced by Johannes Kepler's laws of planetary motion, which described the orbits of planets around the sun.

2. **Mathematical Formulation**: Newton articulated the relationship between the mass of the objects and the distance between them, leading to the formulation of the law of gravitation: \( F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2} \).

3. **Incorporation of Earth's Gravity**: He extended the concept of gravity beyond celestial bodies to explain how apples fall to the ground, showing that the same force governs both celestial and terrestrial phenomena.

4. **Unified Motion**: Newton's theory unified celestial and terrestrial mechanics, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding motion under the influence of gravity.

5. **Published in "Principia"**: His ideas were published in "Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica" (The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) in 1687, which laid the groundwork for classical mechanics.

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