牛顿引力平方反比定律的发现

本文回溯了牛顿早期动力学思想发展的主要线索及其研究的具体过程，深入探究牛顿有关引力平方反比定律发现的认识论根源，指出：牛顿“跨越”离心力定律，应用自己的“（１／２）Ｒ公式”和推广的伽利ｔ２定律，并结合开普勒周期定律，在１６６９年前得到圆轨道上的意向力平方反比关系；牛顿在１６７９年才认识到开普勒面积定律的物理意义，在成文于１６８０年的《论椭圆轨道》原始手稿中解决开普勒命题，即证明椭圆轨道上的引力平方反比定律。

NEWTONI'S DISCOVERY OF THE INVERSE SQUARE LAW FOR KEPLERIAN MOTION

This paper recapitulates the programme of Newton's early scientific research, gives a main clue to the development of his dynamical thought, and reconstructs the epistemologicalfoundations of his dynamical discoveries. It then propoes a new explanation that Newton founded the inverse square law for circular motion before 1669, as he combined his "(l/2)R formula" and the improved form of Galileo's t2 law with Kepler's harmonic few, without applying the law of centrifugal force. In 1679, Newton began to e:camine Kepler's problem,understood the physical senses of Keplpr's area law which he just recognilzed, and demonstrated the inverse square law for Keplerian motion in 1680. It was afterwards that Newton eventually made himself master of dynamical principles.