How to Make Penne Pasta Spin in Endless Circles

Dominic of ViralVideoLab (previously) explained how to make a piece of penne pasta spin in endless circles over a flat heating element like a hot plate. The magic behind this cool looking trick has to do with heat flow and explansion.

The principle behind this experiment is simple: the heat flow from the hot plate generates the movement by causing thermal expansion in the noodle. This thermal deformation interacts with the prescribed deformation of the noodle geometry and causes the rotation.

Endlessly Spinning Pasta

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

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