The science of describing motion is called Kinematics. It was largely developed by Galileo (1564-1642). Galileo did not investigate the causes of motion. That task was left for his great successor, Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727).
Newton asked himself what makes bodies move, stop moving, or change their motion. He concluded that forces are the agents that control the motion of bodies. Newton's three laws of motion have an amazing range of usefulness and success. They apply to the motions of astronomical bodies such as planets, as well as to the motions of earthly objects such as cars and airplanes.
