Body Quote by Isaac Newton
“Do not Bodies and Light act mutually upon one another; that is to say, Bodies upon Light in emitting, reflecting, refracting and inflecting it, and Light upon Bodies for heating them, and putting their parts into a vibrating motion wherein heat consists?”
About This Quote
Source Treat: Principia Mathematica, 1687
Light and matter interact reciprocally: light influences matter’s motion and temperature, while matter emits, reflects, refracts, and alters light.
In simple terms: Light and matter affect each other.
Recognize mutual influence of energy and matter.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- optical experiments
- material science
- climate modeling
- photovoltaic design
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What everyday phenomena illustrate this reciprocity?
- How does this principle inform modern technology?
Complex mathematics limits everyday understanding.