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A mood ring is a ring which contains a thermochromic element, such as liquid crystal. The ring changes color in response to the body temperature of its wearer. The color is said, by some proponents, to indicate the emotional state of the wearer.
History
The mood ring was invented in 1975 by Joshua Reynolds[1] a thirty-three-year-old marketing executive from New York City. After making a fortune off of the mood ring he later invented the Thigh Master exercise machine.
Function
A mood ring is a specialized liquid crystal thermometer, wearable on the finger. The ring is typically ornamented with a faux gemstone (usually made of quartz or glass) which is either a clear capsule filled with thermochromic liquid crystal, or has a thin sheet of liquid crystal sealed underneath. Changes in temperature cause the crystal to reflect different wavelengths of light which changes the color of the stone. The liquid crystal used in mood rings is usually set up to display a "neutral" color at the average human skin temperature, which is approximately 98.6 °F (37.0 °C).[2]
The theory behind the idea that the ring indicates the wearers' mood is based on a claim that body heat fluctuates with the emotional state of the wearer. Human body temperatures are known to vary by small amounts (less than 1°C) over the circadian and menstrual cycles and when the body is fighting an infection. Variations in ambient air temperature appear to have a larger effect on the temperature of the ring than changes in the body temperature of the wearer.[citation needed] It appears that no direct correspondence between a particular mood and a specific color has ever been substantiated.
References
- ^ Shook, R: "Why Didn't I Think of That!", page 39. The New American Library, 1982. ISBN 0-453-00419-9
- ^ Temperature of a Healthy Human (Skin Temperature)
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