The Physics of Percussion and the Generation of Sound
A struck body like the one that strikes it takes on its blow, weight and motion and flees
The notes analyse what happens when one body strikes another of like kind: the struck body receives into itself the blow, weight and motion, flees its place, and leaves the striker deprived of all its power. Leonardo adds that from such diversity of impact derive the various sounds, of supreme penetrating power, one and the same cause producing many effects, and that a swiftly moving body appears as the form of its path and tinges it with the likeness of its colour. A large pen drawing shows a head in profile thrown back, with wavy lines and a beaded line at the neck. Further faint sketches are present on the sheet but were not transcribed.
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A struck body takes on the blow and flees its place
The struck thing, when it is like the one that strikes it, receives into itself weight, blow and motion, flees from its site, and leaves in its place the striker deprived of all its power. It does not go forward because it finds the ball at the first degree of resistance, and the ball makes an immediate stop.
From impact derive the various sounds
From the diversity of this derive the various sounds, of the highest penetration in every opposed variety of objects. With this every terrestrial form is transmuted and many lives are driven from their bodies, and no thing wrought by man is of shorter duration or greater power. One and the same cause makes various effects.
A swift body appears as the form and colour of its path
Every body that moves with velocity appears of the form of its path. Every body that moves with velocity tinges its path with the likeness of its colour.
Head in profile thrown back
A large pen drawing occupies the lower half of the sheet: a human head in profile with the face tilted upward, surrounded by long wavy lines and a beaded line descending from the neck. It is a study of the outward form of the head rather than internal anatomy.