Dolphin Blowing Rings

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Uploaded by on Sep 21, 2008

This video is of dolphins playing with silver colored rings
which they have the ability to make under water to play with. It isn't
known how they learn this, or if they're born with the ability.

As if by magic, the dolphin does a quick flip of its head and a silver
ring appears in front of its beak. The ring is a solid, donut shaped
bubble about 2-ft across, yet it doesn't rise to the surface of the
water. It stands upright in the water like a magic doorway to an unseen
dimension. The dolphin then pulls a small silver donut from the larger
one. Looking at the twisting ring for one last time, a bite is taken from it, causing the small ring to collapse into thousands of tiny bubbles which head upward towards the water's surface. After a few moments the dolphin creates another ring to play with. There also seems to be a separate mechanism for producing small rings, which a dolphin can accomplish by a quick flip of its head.

An explanation of how dolphins make these silver rings is that they are
"air-core vortex rings". Invisible, spinning vortices in the water are
generated from the tip of a dolphin's dorsal fin when it is moving
rapidly and turning. When dolphins break the line, the ends are drawn
together into a closed ring. The higher velocity fluid around the core of the vortex is at a lower pressure than the fluid circulating farther
away. Air is injected into the rings via bubbles released from the dolphin's blowhole. The energy of the water vortex is enough to keep the
bubbles from rising for a few seconds of play time.

Category:

Education

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License:

Standard YouTube License

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Top Comments

  • Dolphins are so much cooler than people.

  • They are probably so bored in that tank. Such intelligent animals.

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All Comments (47)

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  • Cool. I didnt know dolphins blew bubble rings. That's my favorite thing to do underwater.

  • How can they propel the rings so far without them bursting?

  • pretty cool!

  • @walmart908 YOUR MEAN!!!!

  • THIS DOLPHIN NEEDS SOME WEED

  • @JustWoodzy dolphins live in the water... an igloo would melt under water...... you suck at acting smart.

  • wauuuuuw beautful

  • how are they shooting that ring across the water/

  • wait, I saw this video on another channel and that person uploaded it before you. you stole it! D:<

  • what is this music?

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