(IMAGE)

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University

Caption

The figure shows loops with soap films spanning them. If the loops are sufficiently small they remain circular (a). As the length of the loop increases from (b) to (d) the initially circular shape becomes unstable and it begins to gradually warp into a dumbell-like shape due to other energies such as surface tension overtaking the loops rigidity. In pictures (e) through (h) the loops do not change lengths and are all the same as the circular loop in picture (a). They demonstrate the destabilizing effect of twisting, with each successive loop imparted with more twist.

Credit

OIST

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