What did Halley use to compute the periodicity of his Comet?
Newton's law of universal gravitation
Einstein's theory of relativity
Kepler's laws of planetary motion
His own mathematical formula
Answer
Newton's law of universal gravitation provided the mathematical framework that enabled Edmond Halley to calculate the periodicity of Halley's Comet. Essentially, the law describes the attractive force between any two masses in the universe and allowed Halley to predict the comet's return based on its orbital characteristics and the gravitational influence of the Sun and planets on its trajectory.
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