therefore dos this apple fall perpendicularly, or toward the center. & the sum of the drawing power in the matter of the earth must be in the earths center, not in any side of the earth. “Why should that apple always descend perpendicularly to the ground,” thought he to himself: occasion'd by the fall of an apple, as he sat in a comtemplative mood: "why should it not go sideways, or upwards? but constantly to the earths centre? assuredly, the reason is, that the earth draws it. It was occasion’d by the fall of an apple, as he sat in contemplative mood. Stukeley relayed the story in 1752 in the “ Memoirs of Sir Isaac Newton’s Life”:Īfter dinner, the weather being warm, we went into the garden and drank thea, under the shade of some apple trees…he told me, he was just in the same situation, as when formerly, the notion of gravitation came into his mind. He described the moment himself to William Stukeley, an archaeologist and one of Newton’s first biographers. This video shows a timelapse of the apple tree:Ĭontrary to popular opinion, Newton’s theory of gravity did not emerge from when an apple fell on his head. 'How far would that power extend?', he thought. Here he began to think about why everything always fell down - not sideways, or upwards - and came to the conclusion that there must be a power (now we call it a force) that draws them. For at least 240 years it has been shown to visitors as Isaac Newton's apple tree. ![]() ![]() The tree first put down roots around 400 years ago. Yes, the very tree from which an apple fell and caused Newton to ask the question: 'Why do apples always fall straight down to the ground?' ![]() In the orchard at Woolsthorpe Manor we are custodians of a very special apple tree. The conservation charity is responsible for the maintenance and care of the manor as well. The very same tree from which Isaac Newton came up with the law of gravity is still alive and thriving in Woolsthorpe Manor, England, in Newton’s family home and where he spent his childhood.Īccording to the website of the National Trust of England, which preserves and promotes access to historical buildings around the country, Woolsthorpe Manor is where the famous apple tree resides.
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