Knot Physics

I have an enthusiasm for science and mathematics.

I am intrigued by some science trivia and often surprised by the practical everyday outcomes.

Fact: if you put a length of string or ear buds in your bag it will later emerge tangled and knotted. Every day I watch people struggled to de-knot their tangled iPod ear bud cables.

Solution: simply join the ends of the string or cable to make a loop and place in your bag. Use a simple clip, maybe a hair clip. The string or cable will emerge untangled.

Scientists have found that string spontaneously knots itself and the longer the string the more likely it is to happen. People have done serious study in this area. As the string gets longer, the probability of string knotting increases exponentially.

The studies revealed that the longer the string, the more likely it is to form a knot. String that was 1.5 feet (46cm) or shorter never got tangled up. As the string gets longer, the probability of a knot forming increases exponentially – up to a length of 18 feet (5.5m). Finally, the more pliable the string, the more likely it is to knot spontaneously.

Here are links to discover more information …
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