please help with this astronomy question?

D

Dustin G

New member
True or False

Newton applied his laws of motion to the problem of the motions of the planets. He assumed that it was gravity that held them in their orbits.
 
Newton's laws are true for normal objects on earth. An apple fell on newtons head when he was studying under a tree. He assumed that there must be a force acting on the apple. likewise he assumed that gravity held the planets in their orbits providing the necessary centripetal force necessary for circular motion.
 
That is true.

Newton came up with the idea that gravity (which was known to exist on Earth's surface) actually extends to infinity, but grows weaker with distance. This theory explained the motions of the planets with accuracy.

The story of an apple falling on Newton's head is fictional.
 
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