Cubing gets difficult

[Ryan Lee]

When I cube for a long time, the cube seems to get more difficult to turn. Is this because my hands are getting tired? or is it because of some chemical thing with the lubricant?

 

[Rcuber123]

This happens with my and 4x4 plus and mega. I don't lube them so it probably doesn't ave to do with the lube

 

[MarcelP]

When you cube there is friction inside the cube. Warm hands and friction causes temperature rising. Temp rising causes expansion of plastic making the cube become tighter (tension wise).

 

[Matt11111]

When you cube there is friction inside the cube. Warm hands and friction causes temperature rising. Temp rising causes expansion of plastic making the cube become tighter (tension wise).

SCIENCE for the win!

 

[MoFoYa]

Thermal expansion of the plastic would be a VERY TINY effect; particularly at the temperatures we're talking about here. It's more likely to be whatever lube or residue or whatever between the pieces responding to the friction/temperature. Or simply, fatigue.

Science content:

Spoiler

PVC going from 0degF to 100degF will expand about 3.5 inches per 100Ft. which is about 0.29%

A piece the size of a standard cube 56.5mm would increase in length about 1.6mm... but that's a solid piece with a change of 100 degrees! I doubt you're changing the temperature that much. So lets assume room temperature of 72 up to body temp of 98... which comes out to 0.91 inches per 100Ft. or 0.075%

56.5mm expanded 0.075% is 56.54. So, 0.04mm IF the cube was SOLID. AND IF the temperature change was 26 degrees (which I doubt...)

It's certainly some amount much less than 0.04mm of expansion. At my tensions, i can easily pull adjacent corners 10mm+ apart... That's over 250x the high calculated value of 0.04mm expansion. Thermal expansion just doesn't have a big enough effect to be considered a possibility unless you're boiling your cube or something... maybe.

 

[Ryan Lee]

When you cube there is friction inside the cube. Warm hands and friction causes temperature rising. Temp rising causes expansion of plastic making the cube become tighter (tension wise).

So does that mean loosen it?

 

[deadcat]

You're just getting tired, heh.