Uploaded February 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Constructed from a single strand of thin, flexible metal, the Flow Ring is both a kinetic sculpture and a mesmerizing science toy. With one look, you’ll see why it has been called a "fourth dimensional Slinky". Folds flat and pops open into a beautiful 3-D geometrical shape. Slip it on your arm or a rope and watch its transitional energy change to rotational energy. Centripetal forces hold the bands in their curved shape as they spin along your arm, instead of "flying off on a tangent". The effect is remarkable: the Flow Ring begins spinning while simultaneously falling, creating the illusion of a silver bubble. The secret is in how the metal is wrapped. The ribbon coils through itself, forming a torus knot. Available at teachersource.com/product/flow-ring/physics
Constructed from a single strand of thin, flexible metal, the Flow Ring is both a kinetic sculpture and a mesmerizing science toy. With one look, you’ll see why it has been called a "fourth dimensional Slinky". Folds flat and pops open into a beautiful 3-D geometrical shape. Slip it on your arm or a rope and watch its transitional energy change to rotational energy. Centripetal forces hold the bands in their curved shape as they spin along your arm, instead of "flying off on a tangent". The effect is remarkable: the Flow Ring begins spinning while simultaneously falling, creating the illusion of a silver bubble. The secret is in how the metal is wrapped. The ribbon coils through itself, forming a torus knot. Available at teachersource.com/product/flow-ring/physics
