Isaac Newton is popularly remembered as the man who saw an apple fall from a tree, and was inspired to invent the theory of gravity

. If you have grappled with elementary physics then you know that he invented calculus and the three laws of motion upon which all of mechanics is based.

What was calculus invented for?

Calculus, known in its early history as infinitesimal calculus, is a mathematical discipline focused on limits, continuity, derivatives, integrals, and infinite series. Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz independently developed the theory of infinitesimal calculus in the later 17th century.

Is calculus used in physics?

In physics, for example, calculus is used to help define, explain, and calculate motion, electricity, heat, light, harmonics, acoustics, astronomy, and dynamics. Einstein's theory of relativity relies on calculus, a field of mathematics that also helps economists predict how much profit a company or industry can make.