Waves, currents, and a body held under a waterfall
How opposing waves pass, where water runs fastest over a rough bed, and what the splashes hold
Four small drawings and propositions extend Leonardo's study of moving water. Opposing waves pass one beneath the other, and a light body caught among the striking and splashing of a fall stays in place as long as the river's motion holds steady. He also compares where a stream runs fastest over an uneven bed, finding the surface swifter in one case and the bottom swifter under a flat surface in another.
On this page
Opposing waves pass one beneath the other
Waves that strike together from opposite directions: the one in the lower position follows its course under the higher one. The drawing shows the surface pattern of the superposing waves.
Water over an irregular bottom runs faster at the surface
Water descending in a downward flow over an irregular bottom has a swifter course at the surface than below. A drawing shows the watercourse descending over the uneven bed.
A light body held stationary amid a fall's splashes
A body of light quality found among the striking and splashing of the waters will never change location as long as the movement of the river remains equal. The drawing shows a floating body held under a tumultuous waterfall by the surrounding splashes.
A flat surface over a rough bed runs faster below
Water with an irregular bottom and a flat surface will flow more swiftly at the bottom than above. A side view shows the watercourse flowing with a smooth surface over an irregular bottom.