On Power: Concentration Increases Force
The sun's heat in a concave mirror, the pyramidal point, and weight in less space
Headed 'De potenzia', this densely written folio argues that one and the same virtue grows more powerful the smaller the space it occupies, whether heat, percussion, weight or force. A sector-of-circle diagram lettered a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, n illustrates how the sun's heat reflected from a concave mirror into a narrowing pyramid gains power in proportion as it narrows. Further examples treat the penetrating power of a pyramidal iron point, the greater weight of a body compressed into less space, and how flavours are weakened when diluted with snow or water.
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One virtue is stronger the less space it fills
Leonardo lays down the general principle that any one virtue is the more powerful the smaller the place it occupies. He applies it to heat, percussion, weight, force and many other things.
Sun's heat concentrated by a concave mirror (a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, n)
The sun's heat impressed on a concave mirror is reflected into a pyramidal figure whose power grows in proportion as it narrows. Striking at ninety-nine hundredths of its length, the pyramid narrows its base to ninety-nine hundredths and increases the received heat by as much.
The pyramidal iron point and the compressed heavy body
A pyramidal iron penetrates the more the narrower its struck point, and a heavy body reduced into less space is of greater weight because less air resists it. Flavours likewise lose power when diluted with snow or water.