In addition, the closer they got to Mount Doom, when Sam wore the ring, it sharpened the bearer's hearing and made the people he looked at very blurry and only really shadows, if I'm not mistaken. I really just know that it impaired their eyesight. Also, it got much heavier as it got closer to Mount Doom. The weight actually remained the same - Sam couldn't feel it when he carried Frodo on is back. However, the bearer of the Ring found the task of throwing the Ring away very difficult because it felt like something was trying to stop them by making the Ring incredibly heavy. I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that the Ring was Sauron's source of power, seeing as how destroying the Ring destroyed his kingdom.

And I wouldn't say that it was THROWN into Mount Doom... It kinda fell in. Silly Gollum, Rings are for Hobbits! (and elves, dwarves, and mortal men, apparently, according to the legend)


Another note : the Nazgul (the 9 mortal men doomed to die) were related to the One Ring. The Nazgul were only able to see someone if they were wearing the Ring (or any of the special Rings). Otherwise, they relied on their hearing, smelling, and their horses' sight. I imagine that had Sam and Frodo spent a long time with the Ring on, they would have ended up like the Nazgul.

Furthermore, Gollum used to be a hobbit-like creature (Smeagol was his name), but his long time spent in the mountain and his extensive use of the Ring transformed him into the creature he is today.