How can visualizing a spinning disk help explain the workings of a gyroscope?

In summary, a gyroscope is a spinning disk on an axle that has the ability to maintain its orientation and resist tilting due to the conservation of angular momentum. It can be better understood through mathematical explanations or by visualizing a spinning disk on an axle being tilted. Some resources for further understanding include Wikipedia and Dr. Walter Lewin's physics lectures on YouTube.
  • #1
crazycyrus
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0
Can anybody Please post a link about the working of a Gyroscope.(detailed explanation,already seen how stuff works) I am simply not getting it.
 
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  • #2
crazycyrus said:
Can anybody Please post a link about the working of a Gyroscope.(detailed explanation,already seen how stuff works) I am simply not getting it.

How about wikipedia? Some useful animations are included with the vector math:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyroscope

.
 
  • #3
Search for Dr. Walter Lewin's physics lectures on youtube. There are many in the subject of mechanics, but I'm not sure which one in particular addresses gyroscopes. He is a great teacher, IMO, and does an excellent job explaining gyroscopes. However, I still don't have an intuitive understanding of it. The mathematical understanding is pretty straightforward, and he does a great job with it.
 
  • #4
The closest I've ever been able to come to an 'intuitive' understanding of the ability of a gyroscope to hold its position is as follows:
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Imagine a spinning disk on an axle. Imagine yourself holding the end of each axle in front of you while the disk rotates. The axle is horizontal, one end in each hand, the disk in front of you at eye level. You basically can see the edge of the disk. Pick a point on the circumference of the disk, imagine it as a red dot or something. Now imagine it in slow motion so the red dot is revolving around at about one or two revolutions per second. Pretty easy to visualize right? Just a red dot going around in circles. Now tilt the axle by raising one hand and lowering the other and watch what happens to the red dot. It continues to rotate in a circle, but it also now has to move from left to right with each revolution. When the red dot is on one side (upward moving side) it is moving to the left for instance. But when the red dot is on the other side (downward moving side) it has to move to the right. This left to right motion I refer to is only ocurring when you try to tilt the axle. It takes energy to continually move something back and forth overcoming inertia constantly. This is where the energy goes that you expend overcoming the resistance to tilting the axle. It may be difficult to visualize, I tend to have the ability to visualize mechanical things in my mind with little difficulty so I may also under explain things. Not sure how else to describe it.
 

1. How does a gyroscope maintain its orientation?

A gyroscope maintains its orientation due to the principle of angular momentum. This means that as the gyroscope spins, its axis of rotation remains fixed in space, allowing it to resist any changes in orientation.

2. What forces are involved in the functioning of a gyroscope?

The main forces involved in a gyroscope are gravity, torque, and angular momentum. Gravity keeps the gyroscope upright, while torque is applied to the gyroscope when it is tilted. Angular momentum is what allows the gyroscope to maintain its orientation.

3. How does a gyroscope measure rotation?

A gyroscope measures rotation using its angular velocity, which is the speed at which it rotates. By measuring changes in angular velocity, a gyroscope can determine the amount and direction of rotation.

4. What are the practical applications of a gyroscope?

Gyroscopes have a wide range of practical applications, including navigation systems (such as in airplanes and ships), stabilizers for cameras and drones, and in various consumer electronics. They are also used in space exploration and in the study of Earth's rotation.

5. How does a gyroscope differ from an accelerometer?

While both a gyroscope and an accelerometer measure motion, they do so in different ways. A gyroscope measures changes in angular velocity, while an accelerometer measures changes in linear acceleration. This means that a gyroscope is better suited for measuring rotation, while an accelerometer is better for measuring linear motion.

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