Rope

A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together. This makes it stronger and bigger.

Because ropes are strong, they can help pull, lift, and hold things in place.

Ropes are thicker and stronger than things like cord, string, and twine. This makes them useful for many jobs. People have used ropes for thousands of years, for example in building and on sailing ships.

Today, ropes are still important for jobs like construction and climbing, as well as for things we do at home. They are strong but can bend easily, which makes them very useful.

Construction

Ropes can be made from many types of long, stringy materials, either natural or synthetic. Natural materials include things like Manila hemp, linen, and cotton, while synthetic materials include nylon, polyester, and polypropylene. Synthetic ropes are usually stronger and don’t rot as easily as natural ones, but they can sometimes be slippery or damaged by sunlight.

The way the strands are twisted or braided in a rope helps it stay together and share the weight it carries more evenly. This means that all parts of the rope help support whatever is being lifted or pulled.

Size measurement

Rope has been used for a long time, so many ways to measure its size have developed. In systems that use inches, big ropes — like those on ships — are measured by their circumference in inches. Smaller ropes are measured by dividing their circumference by three to get an approximate diameter. In the metric system, rope size is given in millimetres. Today, the best way to measure rope internationally is by its mass per metre, in kilograms. Even when using metric units, some people still use "rope numbers" for large ropes, which are their circumferences in inches.

Main article: Imperial and US customary measurement systems
Main article: pi

Use

Rope has been used since ancient times. It is very important in many areas such as construction, seafaring, exploration, sports, theatre, and communications. Many types of knots have been developed to fasten with rope, join ropes, and use rope to create mechanical advantage. Pulleys can change the direction of a rope, make it stronger, and share the weight over many parts of the rope.

Winches and capstans are machines that pull ropes. Knotted ropes have been used for measuring and calculations. For example, Ancient Egyptian rope stretchers used knotted ropes to measure distances. Medieval European shipbuilders and architects used arithmetic ropes for calculations. Some pre-colonial South American cultures used quipu for keeping records.

History

Ropes have been used since prehistoric times for many jobs like hunting, pulling, and climbing. The first ropes were made from natural plant fibers such as vines. People twisted or braided these fibers together.

The ancient Egyptians made special tools to create rope. They used fibers from water reeds, date palms, flax, grass, papyrus, leather, or animal hair. These ropes helped them move big stones to build monuments.

In China, hemp ropes were used around 2800 BC. Over time, rope making spread to Asia, India, and Europe. During the Middle Ages, long buildings called ropewalks made very long ropes for ships. Today, many ropes are made from synthetic fibers like nylon. These were first used during World War II.

Styles

Laid rope, also called twisted rope, is the most common form of rope in Western history. It usually has three strands and is twisted in a right-handed direction. Twisted ropes are made by spinning fibres into yarns, then twisting these yarns into strands, and finally twisting the strands together to form the rope.

Braided ropes are made by weaving strands of fibre together in a tubular shape. These ropes do not twist when under stress, making them useful for tasks like rappelling. Braided ropes are often made from materials like nylon, polyester, or polypropylene, each offering different properties such as strength and water resistance.

Rock climbing uses special types of ropes. Dynamic ropes stretch to absorb falls and are made with a core of twisted fibres and a braided outer layer. Static ropes, which do not stretch much, are used for tasks like caving and rescue operations. These ropes must meet strict safety standards set by organizations like the UIAA and CEN.

Gallery of μCT/micro-CT images and animations

The gallery shows images and animations of ropes. You can see ropes from different views and sections. There are two-dimensional images, two-dimensional flight-throughs, three-dimensional renderings, and three-dimensional flight-throughs. These help us learn about how ropes are made and what they look like from many angles.

Handling

Rope made from hemp, cotton, or nylon should be stored in a cool, dry place to stay in good shape. To stop it from getting tangled, it is usually coiled, and the ends are often tied with twine (whipping), tape, or heat shrink tubing to keep them from fraying.

It is important to check ropes often, especially those used for climbing or boating. Ropes should be replaced if they look worn or if they get a sudden hard pull. Keeping ropes away from harmful liquids, high heat, and not stepping on climbing ropes helps them stay safe and strong.

Terminology

"Rope" is a material and a tool. When it is used for a specific job, it is often called a "line", especially in sailing. For example, lines that control sails are called "sheets", like a jib sheet. A halyard is a line used to raise and lower a sail, often with a shackle on its end. Other examples of lines include anchor line, mooring line, fishing line, and clothesline. Some ropes keep their name in special uses, like man rope, bolt rope, and bell rope.