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[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"39304","attributes":{"class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","alt":"Never Stop Asking Why: Why do earbuds get tangled?"}}]]Most of us, after we use our earbuds, stuff them into a bag or backpack. Inevitably, when we go back to use them again, those long cords are wrapped around each other in a tangled mess. You didn’t even touch them, so what happened? Why do earbuds always get tangled? We answer the question with help from Discover Magazine.
In a recent study, physicists from UC San Diego put strings and knots to the test. They put strings with differing lengths and thicknesses in a box and tumbled that box around. What they found was that complex knots often form within seconds. To analyze these fast-forming knots, scientists used a mathematical knot theory.
The findings? The longer the string, the more likely it is to knot. The more flexible the string, the more likely it is to knot. The more time the strings spends being jostled around, the more likely they are to knot.
Long, flexible strings form coils, and as they are bounced around, the loose ends weave through the loops and strands like a braid. The longer the strings have to weave around and through themselves, the more knotted they become.
Our earbuds are a perfect example of the type of cords that are easily knotted. They are long so they can reach our ears from a mobile device. They are flexible so that they can be easily stored when on the go, and they spend a lot of time in our bags and backpacks.
While there isn’t a solution to this tangling problem, at least now you’ll know why frustration creeps through you every time you reach for your earbuds.
Happy listening!
Looking for more Never Stop Asking "Why?" questions? Catch up on all of the past "Whys" on Pinterest or on the blog!
