Re: free fall data

[PPARKER@TWSUVM.UC.TWSU.EDU]

> Date: Sat, 13 Sep 1997 12:07:00 -0500
> From: brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>
>
> Date: Sat, 13 Sep 1997 12:07:00 -0500
> From: brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>
> To: phys-l@atlantis.cc.uwf.edu
> Subject: Re: free fall data
> Message-ID: <3.0.1.16.19970913120700.26df022a@mail.intellisys.net>
>
>
> (Naturally Accelerated Motion, Theorem II Prop II Corol I, Third Day, 2 New
> Sciences, G. Galilei)
>
> I dare to suppose that the instrumental dificulties faced by this first
> experimentalist, where time was measured by heartbeats

There was an article in Scientific American some years ago [precise reference
not available -- no access to suitable index -- sorry] which rather
convincingly argued that Galileo timed experiments by singing.  Replicating
some of Galileo's motion experiments and using songs known to him, the
author obtained results comparable in accuracy to those of the original.
The purpose of the article was to show that Galileo did not cook his data
to obtain the results he presented.

*************************
Phil Parker                            Email: pparker@twsuvm.uc.twsu.edu
Math. Dept., Wichita St. Univ.           Fax: 316-978-3748
   I find [in mathematics] a wonderful beauty. This is no science,
   this is art, where equations fall away to elements like resolving
   chords, and where always prevails a symmetry either explicit or
   multiplex, but always of a crystalline serenity.
                                      ---Turjan of Miir (Jack Vance)