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Patterns in nature are visible regularities of form found in the natural world. These patterns recur in different contexts and can sometimes be modelled mathematically . Natural patterns include symmetries , trees , spirals , meanders , waves , foams , tessellations , cracks and stripes. [ 1 ]
The second definition includes two kinds of 3-dimensional relatives of spirals: A conical or volute spring (including the spring used to hold and make contact with the negative terminals of AA or AAA batteries in a battery box ), and the vortex that is created when water is draining in a sink is often described as a spiral, or as a conical helix .
The recursive nature of some patterns is obvious in certain examples—a branch from a tree or a frond from a fern is a miniature replica of the whole: not identical, but similar in nature. Similarly, random fractals have been used to describe/create many highly irregular real-world objects, such as coastlines and mountains.
The circular arc is said to subtend the angle, known as the central angle, at the centre of the circle. The angle subtended by a complete circle at its centre is a complete angle , which measures 2 π radians, 360 degrees , or one turn .
Ice circles tend to rotate even when they form in water that is not moving. The ice circle lowers the temperature of the water around it, which causes the water to become denser than the slightly warmer water around it. The dense water then sinks and creates its own circular motion, causing the ice circle to rotate. [10]
The ripples formed by dropping a small object into still water naturally form an expanding system of concentric circles. [9] Evenly spaced circles on the targets used in target archery [10] or similar sports provide another familiar example of concentric circles.
A wheeled buffalo figurine—probably a children's toy—from Magna Graecia in archaic Greece [1]. Several organisms are capable of rolling locomotion. However, true wheels and propellers—despite their utility in human vehicles—do not play a significant role in the movement of living things (with the exception of certain flagella, which work like corkscrews).
This list of circle topics includes things related to the geometric shape, either abstractly, as in idealizations studied by geometers, or concretely in physical space. It does not include metaphors like "inner circle" or "circular reasoning" in which the word does not refer literally to the geometric shape.