A Discourse Presented to the Most Serene Don Cosimo II., Great Duke of Tuscany, Concerning the Natation of Bodies Vpon, and Submersion In, the Water.Galilei, Galileo
Science
A Discourse Presented to the Most Serene Don Cosimo II., Great Duke of Tuscany, Concerning the Natation of Bodies Vpon, and Submersion In, the Water.
Galilei, Galileo
Hydrostatics; Specific gravity
The third difficulty in the doctrine of _Archimedes_ was, that he
could not render a reason whence it arose, that a piece of Wood, and a
Vessell of Wood, which otherwise floats, goeth to the bottom, if
filled with Water. _Signor Buonamico_ hath supposed that a Vessell of
Wood, and of Wood that by nature swims, as before is said, goes to the
bottom, if it be filled with water; of which he in the following
Chapter, which is the 30 of the fifth Book copiously discourseth: but
I (speaking alwayes without diminution of his singular Learning) dare
in defence of _Archimedes_ deny this experiment, being certain that a
piece of Wood which by its nature sinks not in Water, shall not sinke
though it be turned and converted into the forme of any Vessell
whatsoever, and then filled with Water: and he that would readily see
the Experiment in some other tractable Matter, and that is easily
reduced into several Figures, may take pure Wax, and making it first
into a Ball or other solid Figure, let him adde to it so much Lead as
shall just carry it to the bottome, so that being a graine less it
could not be able to sinke it, and making it afterwards into the forme
of a Dish, and filling it with Water, he shall finde that without the
said Lead it shall not sinke, and that with the Lead it shall descend
with much slowness: & in short he shall satisfie himself, that the
Water included makes no alteration. I say not all this while, but that
its possible of Wood to make Barkes, which being filled with water,
sinke; but that proceeds not through its Gravity, encreased by the
Water, but rather from the Nailes and other Iron Workes, so that it no
longer hath a Body less grave than Water, but one mixt of Iron and
Wood, more grave than a like Masse of Water. Therefore let _Signor
Buonamico_ desist from desiring a reason of an effect, that is not in
nature: yea if the sinking of the Woodden Vessell when its full of
Water, may call in question the Doctrine of _Archimedes_, which he
would not have you to follow, is on the contrary consonant and
agreeable to the Doctrine of the Peripateticks, since it aptly
assignes a reason why such a Vessell must, when its full of Water,
descend to the bottom; converting the Argument the other way, we may
with safety say that the Doctrine of _Archimedes_ is true, since it
aptly agreeth with true experiments, and question the other, whose
Deductions are fastened upon erroneouss Conclusions. As for the other
point hinted in this same Instance, where it seemes that _Benonamico_
understands the same not only of a piece of wood, shaped in the forme
of a Vessell, but also of massie Wood, which filled, _scilicet_, as I
believe, he would say, soaked and steeped in Water, goes finally to
the bottom that happens in some porose Woods, which, while their
Porosity is replenished with Air, or other Matter less grave than
Water, are Masses specificially less grave than the said Water, like
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