On motion: force, weight and distance in throwing a stone
How far can a man hurl stones of different weights?
A red-chalk note headed 'On motion' poses a problem in the mechanics of throwing. If a man at full strength casts a four-pound stone twenty braccia, will he throw a one-pound stone eight braccia, or a half-pound stone still farther? Leonardo asks, and where the throw fails to reach such a distance he demands the cause.
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Problem: throwing stones of varying weight
Starting from a man who throws a four-pound stone twenty braccia at full force, Leonardo asks how far he will cast a stone of one pound, and one of half a pound. He treats distance as depending on the weight thrown and, where the expected reach is not achieved, asks what the cause is.