UGFN1000

In Dialogue with Nature

與自然對話
Cohen, The Birth of a New Physics
Isaac Newton, Principia

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Are you afraid of
mathematics?

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 Course design of UGFN1000
• Part 1. The pursuit of truth
– Text 2a: David Lindberg, The Beginnings of Western Science
– Text 2b: Richard DeWitt, Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy
of Science
– Text 3a: I. Bernard Cohen, The Birth of a New Physics
– Text 3b: Isaac Newton, The Principia
(Texts 2a, 3a and 3b about motion)

How to explain
projectile motion?
Not an isolated question…

Aristotle Isaac Newton

(384 BC – 322 BC) (1643 – 1727)
Radical change of worldview!
Text 3a: The Birth of a New
Physics
• I. Bernard Cohen, The Birth of
a New Physics. W. W. Norton
& Company, 1985.
• I. Bernard Cohen (1914-2003),
Renowned Newton scholar
• From Aristotle to Newton
• Final chapter: 7. The Grand
Design – A New Physics
• (with Paragraph 61 available on
the UFN1000Z Blackboard)
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 Core Question

How to search for the truth?

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 How to search for the truth for
Newton?
• Correspondence
– Observations
– Experiments
– Mathematics
• Coherence
– Mathematics

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 Lecture outline
I. Why mathematics
II. Terrestrial motion
III. Cosmology and unification
IV. Celestial motion

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I. Why mathematics?

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[This grand book of the universe] is
written in mathematical language,
and its characters are triangles,
circles and other geometric figures,
without which it is impossible to
humanly understand a word.
–– Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

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Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (Text 3b)
–Isaac Newton (1642-1727) 10
 Mathematics and physics
Mathematics is not just another language.
Mathematics is a language plus reasoning;
it is like a language plus logic.
Mathematics is a tool for reasoning.
It is in fact a big collection of the results of
some person’s careful thought and
reasoning.
By mathematics it is possible to connect one
statement to another.
––Richard Feynman (1918-1988)
Feynman, Richard P. The Character of Physical Law. MIT Press, 1965. 40.

Mathematics = Language + Reasoning 11

Mathematics and physics
“Mathematics is a language plus reasoning.”
•Mathematics as a language: a precise description or
representation of Nature Precise
– Correspondence via mathematical descriptions description
– Verification by observations or experiments (correspondence)
“Mathematics is a tool for reasoning.” y = ax2
“By mathematics it is possible to connect one statement
to another.”
•Mathematics as a tool for rigorous reasoning
– Coherence via mathematical proofs (deductive reasoning)
•Warning: Mathematics is NOT just calculations!

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II. Terrestrial motion

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 -300  1500 1600 1700
Aristotle Copernicus Hooke
Galileo Halley
Kepler Newton

• Aristotle (384-322 BC)

• Two most fundamental claims of
Aristotle’s theory of motion:
1. Two types of motion: natural motion
and violent motion
2. Motion is never spontaneous; there
is no motion without a mover.

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 -300  1500 1600 1700
Aristotle Copernicus Hooke
Galileo Halley
Kepler Newton

Galileo: thought experiment

•Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
•He observed that a ball rolled down one incline would roll up
another incline to the same height as started
•What if the plane were of infinite extent?
If no resistance

Initial height Initial height If the ball never reach

= Final height = Final height its initial height? 15
 Galileo: thought experiment
If no resistance

v v

The ball would continue in Objects with initial velocity

motion at constant speed will move with constant
in straight line forever speed in straight line forever

• Galileo’s conclusion: uniform linear motion is inertial (motion without

external force) (Cf. Aristotle)
• This later became Newton’s First Law.

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 -300  1500 1600 1700
Aristotle Copernicus Hooke
Galileo Halley
Kepler Newton

Newton’s First Law of motion or

the principle of inertia ( 慣性定律 )
Every body perseveres in its state of being at rest or of moving
uniformly straight forward, except insofar as it is compelled to
change its state by forces impressed upon it. (par. 8)
• Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
• No external force
– At rest, or
– Moving uniformly in a straight line “Mathematics is a language”
 The law of inertia
Every body perseveres in its state of moving
uniformly straight forward…

Why are you “pushed” forward when the MTR is braked to a

stop?
MTR in a constant velocity MTR stops

Brake

Your inertia will keep

you moving forward
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 Second Law
A change in motion is
[1.] proportional to the motive force impressed and

[2.] takes place in the direction of the straight line

along which that force is impressed. (par. 8)
• First Law: no external force. Cf. Second Law: external force.
• Force  acceleration (Change in motion / change of velocity)
– Cf. Aristotle: Force (mover)  maintain the motion
• F  a  F = ma (modern notation)
F = force, m = mass, a = acceleration. “Mathematics is a language”
 Illustrating Newton’s Second Law: free fall

… takes place in the direction of the straight line along

which that force is impressed

Force of
Gravity Vertical motion:
with increasing velocity
(Law 2) (Force: gravity)
 Illustrating Newton’s Laws: projectile motion

… takes place in the direction of the straight line along

which that force is impressed

Force of
gravity Horizontal motion:
uniform velocity (Law 1)
+
Vertical motion:
with increasing velocity
(Law 2) (Force: gravity)
III. Cosmology and unification

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 -300  1500 1600 1700
Aristotle Copernicus Hooke
Galileo Halley
Kepler Newton

Before Newton…
• Aristotelian cosmology
• A geocentric universe
• Celestial motion:
perfect circle
 -300  1500 1600 1700
Aristotle Copernicus Hooke
Galileo Halley
Kepler Newton

Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543)

• Heliocentric model
– Still perfect circular motion
– Sun near the center
– Circles upon circles

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 -300  1500 1600 1700
Aristotle Copernicus Hooke
Galileo Halley
Kepler Newton

Kepler’s First Law

planet
• Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
• Kepler discovered three laws of sun

planetary motion.
• First law: the planetary orbits are
ellipses. Great breakthrough!

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 The solar system
planet

Attractive
force
sun

Gravitation is an invisible string.

(No physical contact!)

Hammer throw 26
Newton’s insight

An apple and
the moon are
both freely
falling objects
(Definition 5, The Principia, Text 3b)

unification of the sublunar

and celestial regions
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 (Text 3a)

Cohen: Newton’s unification of the terrestrial and celestial regions

Could Newton unify Why does an
apple fall?
the two regions?
“As below, so above”
（在地若天）
“Mathematics is a language plus reasoning”

Why does the Earth

(Moon) revolve
round the Sun
(Earth)?
 牛頓如何發現萬有引力定律？

https://youtu.be/p_PCVGv0bZU 31
IV. Celestial motion

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 Motion of celestial objects
• Motion of celestial objects is circular
(wrong!)
– Aristotle: earth-centred
– Copernicus and Galileo: sun-centred
• Galileo: circular motion is inertial (wrong!)
– “For Galileo pure circular motion could still be
inertial” (par. 24)

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 Is curved motion inertial?
• Surely not!!!!!
Recap our journey in CUHK school bus…….

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 Is curved motion inertial?
• Surely not!
Recap our journey in CUHK school bus……. Tendency to
stay in uniform
straight forward
Constant
velocity

School
bus
You

When the bus

turns…..
How does curved motion occur?
magnitude
Velocity
direction

Change in direction = Change in velocity

Change in velocity = Acceleration

According to Newton’s 2nd Law=

To have acceleration, we need a force!
What is this force for the motion of celestial objects?
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Elliptical motion / circular motion (Law 1 + Law 2)
(The Principia, Text 3b)

First law

(or a planet)
Gravity causes
acceleration:
Second law

(or the sun) 37

 -300  1500 1600 1700
Aristotle Copernicus Hooke
Galileo Halley
Kepler Newton

Hooke, Halley and Wren (Par. 4)

planet • 17th century
• They asked: Under what
D
law of force would a
sun planet follow an elliptical
orbit?
– How are the strength of the
attractive force and the
distance D related?
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 -300  1500 1600 1700
Aristotle Copernicus Hooke
Galileo Halley
Kepler Newton

F  1/D 2

• Inverse-square law
• Proposed by the
contemporaries of Newton
• Robert Hooke, a planet

contemporary of Newton,
D
tried to prove it but failed
sun

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F  1/D2

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 Who should be given the credit?
• Newton did not give credit to Hooke in the
Principia
• Hooke thought Newton should have given him the
credit
• Newton refused because although Hooke might
inspire Newton, Hooke was unable to prove it
mathematically. What does it mean?
“Mathematics is a tool for reasoning.” 41
A mathematical proof looks like …
It is given that
Newton’s laws of motion
A planet follows an elliptical orbit
Then
…
… [many many steps …. ]
…
The force acting on the planet is
1
F
D2

“Mathematics is a tool for reasoning.” 42

 Text 3b: Isaac Newton, Principia

Principia (1687) Elements (c. 300 BC) (Text 11b)

Definitions Definitions
Axioms ( 公理 ) Postulates
 Corollary ( 推論 )  Propositions （命題）

Axioms ( 公理 ) – self-evident truth. Serving as starting points (premises)

Mathematically proved a series of theorems, including
(Note that name of the book: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy)

Kepler’s the three laws of planetary motion

 Deduction

All men are

mortal
Socrates is
mortal
Socrates is
a man

Premises Conclusion
Coherence

Belief 44
“Under what law of force would a planet follow an elliptical orbit?” (para. 4)

Coherence Kepler’s laws

(mathematical proof) (including
1
elliptical orbits) F 2
D
Laws of motion Law of universal
(including the law of gravitation
inertia) (inverse-square law)
“By mathematics it is possible to connect one statement to another.”
“Dr. [Halley] asked him what he thought the curve would be that would be
described by the planets supposing the force of attraction…” (para. 5)
Coherence
(mathematical proof) Kepler’s laws
(including
1
elliptical orbits) F 2
D
Laws of motion Law of universal
(including the law of gravitation
inertia) (inverse-square law)
https://youtu.be/VqQn6hPHSI4
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 Summary
Aristotle Copernicus Galileo (G)/ Newton
Kepler (K)
Motion No motion G: uniform linear Laws of motion
without a mover; motion is inertial
natural and violent
motions
Cosmo- Geocentric, Heliocentric, G: Heliocentric, Heliocentric, elliptical
logy circular orbits circular orbits circular orbits orbits (with
K: Heliocentric, mathematical proof)
elliptical orbits
Sublunar region Unification
and celestial
region
Celestial Natural motion G: circular motion Law of universal
motion (not forced, i.e. is inertial gravitation and the
“inertial”) K: anima motrix laws of motion
or magnetic force
Why does an Why does the Earth Why are orbits
apple fall? (Moon) revolve round the elliptical?
Sun (Earth)?
planet
sun

Correspondence
explain explain explain

Coherence
Kepler’s laws

Inverse-square
Laws of motion law (universal
gravitation)
 Tutorial: Why do we believe the law of inertia?
Correspondence
Past and
Observations, New
present
experiments phenomena
phenomena

tested by explain predict

Coherence
(mathematical proof) Kepler’s laws
(including
elliptical orbits) 1
F
D2
Laws of motion Law of universal
(including the law of gravitation
inertia) (inverse-square law)
 Why do we believe the law of inertia?
(tutorial discussion questions)
Correspondence
1.Testability: whether the theory can be tested (by observations and/or
experiments)
– Was the law of inertia tested by experiments (para. 12) and observations?
(para. 22-23, 61)
2.Explanatory power: the amount of diverse phenomena explained by the theory
– What phenomena can be explained by the laws of motion and the law of
universal gravitation? (para. (4), 9-11, 25, 61, Definition 5)
3.Prediction power: whether the theory successfully predicts new phenomena
– What new phenomenon did the laws of motion and the law of universal
gravitation predict? (para. 62)
Coherence
4.What did Newton prove? (para. 5-6)

The criteria are adapted from Schick, Theodore, and Lewis Vaughn. How to Think about Weird 50
Things: Critical Thinking for a New Age. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013, p. 213.
 Major references
• Cohen, I. Bernard. The Birth of New Physics. London: Penguin Books, 1985.
• DeWitt, Richard. Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy
of Science. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.
• Dolnick, Edward. The Clockwork Universe: Isaac Newton, the Royal Society,
and the Birth of the Modern World. New York: HarperCollins, 2011.
• Lindberg, David C. The Beginnings of Western Science. Chicago: University
of Chicago Press, 2007.
• Newton, Isaac. Selections from Newton’s Principia, edited and annotated by
Densmore, Dana, translated by Donahue, William H. Santa Fe, N.M.: Green
Lion Press, 2004.
• Pask, Colin. Magnificent Principia: Exploring Isaac Newton’s Masterpiece.
New York: Prometheus Books, 2013.

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 Supplementary lectures for
UGFN1000
• A micro-modules website on KEEP (an independent eLearning
platform) provides supplementary materials for UGFN1000.
1. Login to KEEP at https://keep.edu.hk/ using your CUHK email
address and CWEM password.
2. Search for “UGFN” or enter this link:
https://moodle.keep.edu.hk/course/view.php?id=113
3. Self-enrol into the course for the first time with this self-enrolment
key: ugfn1000
4. Choose “Text 3 Newton” and then “ 物理學基礎概念 陳志宏博士（廣東話主講）”
5. Watch the short video clips 2-5

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• Speed, velocity
and
acceleration
• Mass and
weight
• Newton’s first
and second law
• … many other
ideas in physics
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 PASS session today
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Peer Assisted Study Session

PASS session: NZ (for UGFN1000Z)

(Cantonese)
Date & time: 29 Jan (Fri) 15:30-16:30

Zoom: https://cuhk.zoom.us/j/96626013580 (Code:

348469)
PASS Leader: Kelly Lam ( 林嘉妍 )
Main discussion questions in PASS
What are Newton’s first and second laws of motion?
1.

What is the demarcation between physics and

2.

mathematics?
How are Newton’s laws of motion and law of
3.

universal gravitation related to cosmology and

unification?
 Announcement
• Watch the two whiteboard animations
• Read Texts 3a and 3b
– Text 3a: para. 1-14, 18-25, 61-63
• Skip the following sentences in para. 5 about DeMoivre’s account
“Whereupon Dr. Halley asked him for his calculation… he made both
his calculations agree together.”
• Para. 61 is available on Blackboard under “Additional Readings”
– All Text 3b except
• “The quantity of centripetal force is of…, and motive” in p. 66
• Law 3 in pp. 67-68
• The details of the proof of Corollary 1

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Discussion forum schedule
Round Due date
1:Plato/Lindberg 1 1 28 Jan 2021
2:Lindberg 2 1 4 Feb 2021
3:Cohen/Newton 1 11 Feb 2021
4:Darwin 1 25 Feb 2021
 Quiz 1
• Quiz 1 on Text 2a & 2b (Lindberg/DeWitt) and Text 3a & 3b (Cohen/Newton)
• 16 multiple-choice questions in the quiz.
• The questions are randomly drawn from the question bank available on the
UGFN1000Z Blackboard under “Question Bank”.
• Take-home and open book quiz taken on Blackboard
• The quiz must be completed ONE HOUR before the start of your tutorial on Text
3.
• The quiz can be attempted only ONCE.
• Once started, the quiz must be completed in ONE sitting. Don’t click “go back” in
your browser. Don’t close your browser until you have completed the quiz.
• You have 15 minutes to complete the quiz.
• Quiz will save and submit automatically when time expires.
• Please take the quiz on your own. Don’t cheat.

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Appendix

58
 Platonism
• “A plane without limit is all right for a pure
mathematician, who is a Platonist in any case. But Galileo
was a man who combined just such a Platonism with a
concern for applications to the real world of sensory
experience.” (Text 3a par. 18)
• What is “Platonism”?
• The Platonic tradition: “[It is a belief] that the fundamental
truths of nature were disclosed in the relations of regular
geometrical figures and relations between numbers” (The
Birth of New Physics, p. 91)

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 How to read Principia
Definition 1. Quantity of matter is a measure of
matter that arises from its density and volume
jointly.
• “quantity of matter” – mass
• “arises from… jointly”
– quantify of matter  (density) × (volume)
– Cf. mass = (density) × (volume)
• It is a definition NOT a procedure for measuring the
quantity of matter in a laboratory.

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 How to read Principia
Definition 2. Quantity of motion is a measure
of motion that arises from the velocity and
the quantity of matter jointly.
• “quantity of motion” – momentum
• “arises from… jointly”
– quantity of motion  (quantity of matter) × (velocity)
– Cf. momentum = (mass) × (velocity)

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 -300  1500 1600 1700
Aristotle Copernicus Hooke
Galileo Halley
Kepler Newton

http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/scienceastro.html

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