Tangled cables: How do they work?

[Dark Knifer]

I personally think there is some sort of gnome who runs into your house and tangles the fuck out of all your cables as you sleep.
He then sharpens all your pencils down to the very nub and takes one sock out of every second pair you own.

He is kind of a prick.

That's the one that lives in your pocket and tangles up your ipod ear plugs as well! He is such a dick!

 

[ReservoirAngel]

Even weirder is if you put them down gently, turn away to get something else, then turn back and they're hopelessly tangled. That both annoys and confuses me.

 

[BonsaiK]

Can someone explain this? Maybe someone with an aptitude for science that knows enough physics to predict how two cables go from not even touching to an explosion of tangle?

I actually can, but I need to know what sort of cables they are. Most cables tangle because they're incorrectly stored, or because the person winding them up doesn't know proper cable-winding techniques. Trufax.

 

[DarthFennec]

This has apparently been a problem for a very long time.

awww gross tenticle rape

*facepalm* Thanks, now I can't unsee >.<

 

[Sneeze]

I've always said when I take over the world an in-depth study into the mysteries of cable tangling will be my first priority, for science it must be know.

After that, why is belly button fluff always blue?

 

[Quiet Stranger]

Yeah it was weird, I put all my cables together, tied them in knots and loop-de-loops, no idea how they got so jumbled, it's a mystery

 

[Cheesus333]

Spoiler: Headphones go in pocket like this.

Spoiler: Headphones come out of pocket like this.

!?

 

[Megacherv]

Spoiler

I'm with those guys.

Goddammit, someone beat me to it...twice...

 

[BrassButtons]

It's called Knot Theory [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knot_theory], and it is evil.

 

[Eumersian]

From being in a band and having to deal with cable situations like that a jillion times, I came to the conclusion that God hates Rock n' Roll.

This is, of course, not true. But still, it's just some ridiculous physics to it that only a physics major could explain.

Can someone explain this? Maybe someone with an aptitude for science that knows enough physics to predict how two cables go from not even touching to an explosion of tangle?

I actually can, but I need to know what sort of cables they are. Most cables tangle because they're incorrectly stored, or because the person winding them up doesn't know proper cable-winding techniques. Trufax.

About that, yes, I know incorrectly stored cables get tangled, but what is the physics behind it? Weirds me out, man.

 

[Varitel]

My guess would have to be that when you picked up the one cable, you somehow pulled it through the other two or something like that. Either that or a wizard did it.

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

Can someone explain this? Maybe someone with an aptitude for science that knows enough physics to predict how two cables go from not even touching to an explosion of tangle?

I actually can, but I need to know what sort of cables they are. Most cables tangle because they're incorrectly stored, or because the person winding them up doesn't know proper cable-winding techniques. Trufax.

This one!

I've coiled many a cable, and the ones that get tangled are always the ones that were coiled improperly in the past. The wires on the inside of the insulation get twisted up and then they try to expand all the time. It makes your cables look like they've been chewed on and it creates a huge mess every time you need to use them again.

 

[BonsaiK]

From being in a band and having to deal with cable situations like that a jillion times, I came to the conclusion that God hates Rock n' Roll.

This is, of course, not true. But still, it's just some ridiculous physics to it that only a physics major could explain.

Can someone explain this? Maybe someone with an aptitude for science that knows enough physics to predict how two cables go from not even touching to an explosion of tangle?

I actually can, but I need to know what sort of cables they are. Most cables tangle because they're incorrectly stored, or because the person winding them up doesn't know proper cable-winding techniques. Trufax.

About that, yes, I know incorrectly stored cables get tangled, but what is the physics behind it? Weirds me out, man.

With instrument cables, if you wind them over your shoulder or in the same direction every time, the inner core gets twisted relative to the outer insulation. When winding a cable you have to reverse the direction with each wind so there's an equilibrium between the insulation and the cable wiring, otherwise cables will start to knot up as the inner core naturally tries to untwist itself and rubs up against the outside. Really bad cables are so hyper-tense that they will actually almost "sit up" when you place them on the ground, but a cable that doesn't have a twisted inner core will lie flat and co-operate. Properly wound cables of reasonably quality should last for decades.

 

[Wintermoot]

the cable tangle gnomes! they also hide your car keys, steal socks and pull spare change from your pocket into the couch