Sound equability and distance measurement: ambiguities explored in a 1656 experiment

This presentation delves into a pivotal experiment conducted in 17th-century Florence, in the context of the Accademia del Cimento's entreprise, with Vincenzo Viviani (1622-1703) as the protagonist. By reconciling ambiguities in observational data, this paper considers the interdisciplinary nature of scientific inquiry at the time and sheds particular light on the intersection between experimental acoustics and trigonometry. I will explore the inconsistencies and errors surrounding experimentation, aiming to address complexities and establish an objective and reproducible observational approach to nature. The presentation is structured into two parts, each considering an experimental method to measure physical distances in the early modern period: the first deals with geometry and trigonometry and explores some of the typical instruments employed for surveying. The second part considers mathematical calculations and proportions following experimentation on sound propagation, which we could call the science of sound, or early acoustics, a term introduced around 1700. Throughout the presentation, I highlight the key features of these methods using an important and unique case study from 1656.