---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That the divided but contiguous particles…"
description: "\"That the divided but contiguous particles of bodies may be separated from one another is a matter of observation; and, in the particles that remain und..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/isaac-newton-1226_another_that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particle_2553536.jpg"
---

#  That the divided but contiguous particles of bodies may be…

![“That the divided but contiguous particles of bodies may be separated from one another is a matter of observation; and, in the particles that remain undivided, our minds are able to distinguish yet lesser parts, as is mathematically demonstrated.” quote by Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/isaac-newton-1226_another_that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particle_2553536.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/isaac-newton-1226_another_that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particle_2553536.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/isaac-newton-1226_another_that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particle_2553536.jpg)

> “That the divided but contiguous particles of bodies may be separated from one another is a matter of observation; and, in the particles that remain undivided, our minds are able to distinguish yet lesser parts, as is mathematically demonstrated.”

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Observation reveals that matter consists of discrete yet adjoining particles, and the mind can discern finer divisions within undivided parts, as mathematics shows.

**In simple terms:** Matter is made of tiny pieces we can see and think about.

Key Takeaway

Notice details to understand the whole.

Themes

physics philosophy observation

Mood

curious analytical

Type

scientific philosophical

When to use this quote

- laboratory analysis
- philosophical debate
- educational lectures

Key Concepts

atomism mathematical reasoning

Questions to Reflect On

- How does recognizing small parts change your view of a system?
- What limits does observation have in science?

A Different Perspective

Complex phenomena may resist simple observation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/)

## Related quotes

> [It is indeed a matter of great difficulty to discover, and effectually to distinguish, the true motions of particular bodies from the apparent; because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/it-is-indeed-a-matter-of-great-difficulty-to-discover-and-effectually/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [I never yet have known the Spirit of God to work where the Lord's people were divided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/i-never-yet-have-known-the-spirit-of-god-to-work-where-the-lord-s/)

[Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/)

> [“The world has never been as divided as it is now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-never-been-as-divided-as-it-is-now/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [Belief in oneself is a crucial quality of leadership, because 'a house divided against itself cannot stand.' A leader who fluctuates back and forth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-beth-jones/belief-in-oneself-is-a-crucial-quality-of-leadership-because-a-house/)

[Laurie Beth Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-beth-jones/)

> [Many a professing Christian is a stumbling-block because his worship is divided. On Sunday he worships God; on weekdays God has little or no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/many-a-professing-christian-is-a-stumbling-block-because-his-worship/)

[Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/)

> [Even virtue is an art; and even its devotees are divided into those who practise it and those who are merely amateurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-virtue-is-an-art-and-even-its-devotees-are-divided-into-those/)

[Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/)

> [The Oslo Accords in 1993 determined that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are a single territorial entity which cannot be divided. Immediately,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-oslo-accords-in-1993-determined-that-the-gaza-strip-and-the-west/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [I have a recurring daymare that when the Glorious People's SWAT Teams smash their way in, most of us - by which I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/i-have-a-recurring-daymare-that-when-the-glorious-people-s-swat-teams/)

[L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/)

> [In every European nation, there have been problems in history when the society was too divided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/in-every-european-nation-there-have-been-problems-in-history-when-the/)

[Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/)

> [Obstinate people can be divided into the opinionated, the ignorant, and the boorish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/obstinate-people-can-be-divided-into-the-opinionated-the-ignorant-and/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

> [Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-can-be-divided-into-2-groups-one-that-goes-ahead-and-achieves/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [We have a war on women, race wars. Income wars, age wars, religious wars, anything you can imagine. A house divided against itself cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/we-have-a-war-on-women-race-wars-income-wars-age-wars-religious-wars/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/)

[Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/)

## More by Isaac Newton

> [The same law takes place in a system, consisting of many bodies, as in one single body, with regard to their persevering in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/the-same-law-takes-place-in-a-system-consisting-of-many-bodies-as-in/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [I have been much amused at ye singular phenomena resulting from bringing of a needle into contact with a piece of amber or resin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-have-been-much-amused-at-ye-singular-phenomena-resulting-from/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/no-great-discovery-was-ever-made-without-a-bold-guess/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [I keep the subject of my inquiry constantly before me, and wait till the first dawning opens gradually, by little and little, into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-keep-the-subject-of-my-inquiry-constantly-before-me-and-wait-till/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [Philosophy is such an impertinently litigious lady that a man had as good be engaged in lawsuits as have to do with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/philosophy-is-such-an-impertinently-litigious-lady-that-a-man-had-as/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [Do not Bodies act upon Light at a distance, and by their action bend its Rays; and is not this action (caeteris paribus) \[all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/do-not-bodies-act-upon-light-at-a-distance-and-by-their-action-bend/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [God in the beginning formed matter in solid, massy, hard, impenetrable, movable particles, of such sizes and figures, and with such other properties, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/god-in-the-beginning-formed-matter-in-solid-massy-hard-impenetrable/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [ I am ashamed to tell you to how many figures I carried these calculations \[of Pi\], having no other business at the time ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-am-ashamed-to-tell-you-to-how-many-figures-i-carried-these/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [Hypotheses non fingo. I frame no hypotheses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/hypotheses-non-fingo-i-frame-no-hypotheses/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [The Ignis Fatuus is a vapor shining without heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/the-ignis-fatuus-is-a-vapor-shining-without-heat/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [Blind metaphysical necessity, which is certainly the same always and every where, could produce no variety of things. All that diversity of natural things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/blind-metaphysical-necessity-which-is-certainly-the-same-always-and/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [You sometimes speak of gravity as essential and inherent to matter. Pray do not ascribe that notion to me, for the cause of gravity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/you-sometimes-speak-of-gravity-as-essential-and-inherent-to-matter/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/there-are-more-sure-marks-of-authenticity-in-the-bible-than-in-any/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [Therefore to the same natural effects we must, as far as possible, assign the same causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/therefore-to-the-same-natural-effects-we-must-as-far-as-possible/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

> [In scripture we are told of some trusting in God and others trusting in idols, and that God is our refuge, our strength, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/in-scripture-we-are-told-of-some-trusting-in-god-and-others-trusting/)

[Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

[Explore all 266 Isaac Newton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/)

## More Another quotes

> [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/)

[Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/)

> [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/)

[Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/)

> [I write the way you might arrange flowers. Not every try works, but each one launches another. Every constraint, even dullness, frees up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/i-write-the-way-you-might-arrange-flowers-not-every-try-works-but/)

[Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/)

> [I have to mention that Taapsee and Ayushmann are my favorite actors - or stars, whatever you call them. I love them. Our thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anubhav-sinha/i-have-to-mention-that-taapsee-and-ayushmann-are-my-favorite-actors/)

[Anubhav Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anubhav-sinha/)

> [When a person partners with God in delivering a miracle to another person, they have done what they were supposed to do; God can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-wilkinson/when-a-person-partners-with-god-in-delivering-a-miracle-to-another/)

[Bruce Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-wilkinson/)

> [I went through a string of A&amp;R men who all thought I should be doing something different. One thought I should be a dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/i-went-through-a-string-of-a-r-men-who-all-thought-i-should-be-doing/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [New York is so serious about the creation of work. Everything is happening so fast, it feels like there's another studio, another session on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diplo/new-york-is-so-serious-about-the-creation-of-work-everything-is/)

[Diplo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diplo/)

> [The fact of the matter is that the Internet has brought together millions of people who trust one another for reasons that are unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-huh/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-the-internet-has-brought-together/)

[Ben Huh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-huh/)

> [Everything about Washington is inconsistent, because they say one thing and do another, which is what my opponent, Claire McCaskill, is very, very good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-steelman/everything-about-washington-is-inconsistent-because-they-say-one/)

[Sarah Steelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-steelman/)

> [In Tunisia, the so-called Yasmin revolution has led to the installation of a relatively moderate Islamic government. Whether or not that means democracy will,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/in-tunisia-the-so-called-yasmin-revolution-has-led-to-the/)

[Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/)

> [I refuse to be one of those artists who, 10 years from now, they're bitter about the rise and the fall of their career.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-refuse-to-be-one-of-those-artists-who-10-years-from-now-they-re/)

[Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/)

> [One death to a man is a serious thing: a dozen neutralize one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-francis-burton/one-death-to-a-man-is-a-serious-thing-a-dozen-neutralize-one-another/)

[Richard Francis Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-francis-burton/)

> [I don't know one note from another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams/i-don-t-know-one-note-from-another/)

[Hank Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams/)

> [I like to watch the Fox News Network. I like 'Nightline.' I like to watch 'The Sopranos,' of course. That is one of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-estrada/i-like-to-watch-the-fox-news-network-i-like-nightline-i-like-to-watch/)

[Erik Estrada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-estrada/)

> [When you write a book, people legitimise it by actually reading the book and so it's almost okay to write another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-macken/when-you-write-a-book-people-legitimise-it-by-actually-reading-the/)

[Eoin Macken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-macken/)

Browse all 2,784 Another quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "That the divided but contiguous particles of bodies may be separated from one another is a matter of observation; and, in the particles that remain undivided, our minds are able to distinguish yet lesser parts, as is mathematically demonstrated.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Isaac Newton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particles-of-bodies-may-be-separated/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Another"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particles-of-bodies-may-be-separated/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/isaac-newton-1226_another_that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particle_2553536.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/isaac-newton-1226_another_that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particle_2553536.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/isaac-newton-1226_another_that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particle_2553536.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That the divided but contiguous particles of bodies may be separated from one another is a matter of…” — Isaac Newton",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Isaac Newton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "That the divided but contiguous particles...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particles-of-bodies-may-be-separated/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/that-the-divided-but-contiguous-particles-of-bodies-may-be-separated/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
