What is Gyroscope: Definition and 172 Discussions

A gyroscope (from Ancient Greek γῦρος gûros, "circle" and σκοπέω skopéō, "to look") is a device used for measuring or maintaining orientation and angular velocity. It is a spinning wheel or disc in which the axis of rotation (spin axis) is free to assume any orientation by itself. When rotating, the orientation of this axis is unaffected by tilting or rotation of the mounting, according to the conservation of angular momentum.
Gyroscopes based on other operating principles also exist, such as the microchip-packaged MEMS gyroscopes found in electronic devices (sometimes called gyrometers), solid-state ring lasers, fibre optic gyroscopes, and the extremely sensitive quantum gyroscope.Applications of gyroscopes include inertial navigation systems, such as in the Hubble Telescope, or inside the steel hull of a submerged submarine. Due to their precision, gyroscopes are also used in gyrotheodolites to maintain direction in tunnel mining. Gyroscopes can be used to construct gyrocompasses, which complement or replace magnetic compasses (in ships, aircraft and spacecraft, vehicles in general), to assist in stability (bicycles, motorcycles, and ships) or be used as part of an inertial guidance system.
MEMS gyroscopes are popular in some consumer electronics, such as smartphones.

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  1. F

    Differential Readings upon Reversing Polarity on MEMS Gyroscope

    Hi, y'all; This will likely be a simply question for most of you, but I am still something of a neophyte (yes, yes, starting off with the whole education thing in my 30's -- egad!) but if I were to reverse the current running through a MEMS gyroscope, what would be the outcome in the figures...
  2. O

    The angular speed of precession for a gyroscope is given by

    The angular speed of precession for a gyroscope is given by ω_{p} = T/ω_{g}. So that the rate of precession increases as the gyroscope, top, or wheel slows down. This agrees with observations of a top, which wobbles around very quickly as it slows down. If I hold a bicycle wheel in my...
  3. D

    Gyroscope coupling force force question

    Hello everyone, I saw this video in youtube: And I have some questions, can someone please explain me the forces acting on this gyro? what is the momentum that keeps the cheese from falling, the direction of its action don't add up to me Also, how could i calculate the force needed to...
  4. D

    What Are the Forces Acting on a Gyroscope and How Can They Be Calculated?

    Hello everyone, I saw this video in youtube: And I have some questions, can someone please explain me the forces acting on this gyro? what is the momentum that keeps the cheese from falling, the direction of its action don't add up to me Also, how could i calculate the force needed to...
  5. M

    Calculating Gyroscope Torque for Stabilization Design

    Hello, I think what i have is a simple question and yet it is not answered by most of the articles on gyroscopes. I am wondering how I can calculate the amount of resistance a gyroscope develops to an applied torque on the primary axis when the secondary axis is fixed. Ie, torque is...
  6. V

    Gimbaled Gyroscope: Do I Need Constant Torque?

    Hi ! I have very basic question about gyroscopes: do I need same torque from gimbal motor to accelerate the flywheel whenever it's rotating or not ? (and the gimbal motor is attached to the floor) Thanks in advance :)
  7. V

    Control Moment Gyroscope Gimbal Motor Torque

    Hi ! My name is Max and I'm a Mechanical Engineer. I'm working on Control Moment Gyroscope project, but because for a long time I didn't deal with theory, I'm stuck at some very basic dynamics problem. In this article http://www. spacecraft research.com/files/BrownPeck_JGCD2009 the author writes...
  8. A

    As a gyroscope precesses, its center off mass moves in a circle

    my textbook says: "As a gyroscope precesses, its center off mass moves in a circle with radius r in a horizontal plane. Its vertical component of acceleration is zero so the upward normal force exerted by the pivot must equal mg." Now wouldn't this always be true. I mean if u have a...
  9. S

    Torque to rotate spinning gyroscope

    Homework Statement The Hubble Space Telescope is stabilized to within an angle of about 2 millionths of a degree by means of a series of gyroscopes that spin at 1.92×104 . Although the structure of these gyroscopes is actually quite complex, we can model each of the gyroscopes as a thin-walled...
  10. Y

    Motor bike engines acting as a gyroscope keeping the bike upright

    Dear All This is a rather strange question for you one that i can find no conclusive argument to. when riding a large motorbike i am informed that the engine must be reved at low speeds in order to keep the engine spinning at a sufficient speed to enable it to generate a strong enough...
  11. D

    Does the Moment of Inertia Change When a Gyroscope is Lifted?

    Hey I just finished an experiment in my physics lab where we examined the precession and nutation of a gyroscope. The gyroscope was built with a shaft which had a pivot in the middle, on one end of the shaft the large spinning disc was placed and on the left side of the shaft...
  12. S

    Gyroscope doubts. Please answer

    Gyroscope doubts. Please answer :) Consider the case of a common demonstration which you would find in videos. A bicycle wheel mounted on a shaft is set into rotation, axis is made horizontal and the shaft stays horizontal for sometime and eventually goes down as the wheel spin slows down due...
  13. S

    Gyroscope doubts. Please answer

    Gyroscope doubts. Please answer :) Consider the case of a common demonstration which you would find in videos. A bicycle wheel mounted on a shaft is set into rotation, axis is made horizontal and the shaft stays horizontal for sometime and eventually goes down as the wheel spin slows down due...
  14. R

    Forces acting on a gyroscope base when trying to turn it

    I am studying the influence of a gyroscopic effect of wheels/tyres on a steering system in a car. I can't seem to get my head around few concepts. It boils down to a simple problem. Consider a free spinning gyroscope wheel with horizontally aligned axis. This axis is mounted in a vertical...
  15. B

    Integrating Gyroscope Output for Accurate Angle Measurement

    Hey guys, I recently did a project with combining and accelerometer and gyroscope together using the 6DOF IMU Razor and an Arduino and now i need to try something different but i need some help. How does one integrate a gyroscope output? I tried something like this below but i don't think...
  16. S

    (Special) relativity final question; gyroscope at relativistic velocities

    This question on my final blew my mind and I have no clue where to even start: (verbatim, not exact wording and so 'theoretical' I almost posted it under relativity) Given that an observer on Earth with acceleration due to gravity 9.8 m/s^2 has an indestructible frictionless gyroscope and a...
  17. M

    Gyroscope Angular Speed Calculation

    Homework Statement The rotor (flywheel) of a toy gyroscope has mass 0.150 kg. Its moment of inertia about its axis is 1.20*10^- 4 kg m^2. The mass of the frame is 2.70×10−2 kg. The gyroscope is supported on a single pivot with its center of mass a horizontal distance of 4.00 cm from the...
  18. T

    Create a High-Performance Waveguide Gyroscope with Microwave Transmission

    Hi Guys, Most of you guys should heard of Fibre optic gyroscopes. I'm trying to create a gyroscope that send out microwave instead of light source. Is there any program that i can use to create the circuit and simulate before getting hands on. Btw it might or might not work i have no idea...
  19. S

    Why does the bend in space time not affect the gyroscope?

    The bend in space-time due to Earth's gravity was measured by a gyroscope. A bend in space-time causes even light to bend, how does a gyroscope escape this? The angular momentum being discussed in a gyroscope, is this the same as the one we call "spin" in the entangled photons/electrons?
  20. O

    How exactly does a gyroscope relate to angular momentum?

    Wikipedia says that a gyroscope is based on the conservation of angular momentum. This whole day I'v been doing my report on gyroscopes and explaining their precession. But how do I connect the conservation of angular momentum to this? I don't know where to start. I have seen videos...
  21. DocZaius

    What is the main cause of the Gyroscope Torque Confusion?

    This is not a homework question, but from having read the rules in the following thread, it looks like this is more academic assistance than pure discussion: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=414380 So anyhow, I am having real trouble with precession. I know that net torque is...
  22. G

    INS : Gyroscope errors : transport wander, apparent drift , coriolis effect ?

    can anyone please explain me following errors of gyroscopes used in inertial navigation systems of aircraft : a) what is transport wander , how actually it happens ? b) what is apparent drift in gyroscope ? c) what is coriolis effect and how it causes errors in gyroscopes ?
  23. V

    Principles of operation of a helcopter gyroscope

    hello, I wanted to know how a helicopter gyroscope works. thank you
  24. V

    Principles of operation of a helcipter gyroscope

    Homework Statement How does a helicopter gyroscope work Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I couldn't find any proper solution to that one
  25. S

    Gyroscope for angular rotation

    hello all.. Iam using LPY5150AL Breakout gyro. I have connected to a PIC16F877A microcontroller.The problem is that iam getting outputs of gyro around 1100 -1300 deg/sec when i rotate the axes.I don't know whether these values are correct are not??can anyone help me out..! The formula used is...
  26. U

    How to estimate roll position via gyroscope data?

    im trying to implement a tilt sensing program via accelerometer and gyroscope. part of the input that i will plan on using is gyroscope data. since gyroscopes measure angle/sec, integrating this will give me angle right? i then have three questions: 1. do i multiply the gyroscope's (1/sampling...
  27. F

    Why does a gyroscope resist rotating towards the ground?

    Today in class we have an intro to gyroscopes where my professor gave the classic "bicycle wheel" example where he spun a bicycle wheel to give it significant angular velocity, attached one end of the wheel apparatus to a string fixed to the ceiling, and let the wheel hang and precess (just like...
  28. A

    What happens to a gyroscope when carried upstairs?

    1. I am carrying a briefcase in which sits a gyroscope whose large angular velocity points forward horizontally. When I try to climb stairs, what happens to the briefcase? 2. 0=\Delta\vec{}L 3. My intuition says that the briefcase would point downward, but I really don't know how to approach...
  29. J

    Conservation of Energy in a Gyroscope Thought Experiment

    Conservation of Energy in a Gyroscope Thought Experiment I have posted a though experiment at the following address. I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this. http://sibleysystems.pro/gyro/gyro.html" Thanks in advance. Jamie
  30. C

    Calculating torque for precessing gyroscope

    I'm presenting a computation. I'm posting here to ask if anyone spots an error either in the reasoning or in the math. The image shows a gimbal mounted spinning gyroscope wheel. The brown cilinder represents a weight, exerting a torque. Naming convention: Spinning of the wheel: rolling...
  31. GRB 080319B

    Counter-torque in the gyroscope to oppose the torque

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cquvA_IpEsA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed...
  32. M

    How can I build a functional gyroscope?

    I need to build a working gyroscope. Where can I find information on how to build one? also what materials to use to build it? Any Ideas?
  33. R

    What happens to precession when torque is removed?

    Hi friends I read about gyros and read their working and analysis based conservation of angular momentum. I understood it as I was made to by the analysis but i didn't find the real reason why gyro shows such a behaviour. I mean what forces it to do the magic it does? Is there any analysis...
  34. T

    How can I set up and use an accelerometer and gyroscope for data collection?

    Hi, I am an engineering student that needs help using an accelerometer and a gyroscope. I'm not sure where to begin. How can I setup the sensors to output readable data to a computer. Do I use a microcontroller? Do I need to program anything? I am just in need of help. Anything would be...
  35. P

    Gyroscope Precession - Cause? - From Feynman

    I ran a search for gyroscopes looking for a definitive solution to the "What causes Precession?" and found no good clear answers. I think the Feynman lectures come close to the solution and followed that thought process, all the pieces point to the solution, I had to put my theory to the test on...
  36. R

    How does a solid-state gyroscope work?

    Hi everybody, I think that I understand how classical gyroscopes work. But I can't understand how solid-state gyroscopes work. I have searched the internet for a good explanation of their principle of operation for several days but I've found nothing. I just don't see any relation between a...
  37. F

    How Does Angular Velocity Influence the Orientation of a Spinning Hoop?

    Homework Statement Kleppner & Kolenkow 7.7 A thin hoop of mass M and radius R is suspended from a string through a point on the rim of the hoop. If the support is turned with high angular velocity \omega, the hoop will spin as shown, with its plane nearly horizontal and its center...
  38. C

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

    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.
  39. 1

    Making a Gyroscope: Get an Edge in the Competition

    Hello guys, I am currently going through my undergrad in mech. engineering and i am taking a manufacturing process class and we are creating a gyroscope as one of the two projects for the course. The class is going to have a competition to see whose gyro would stay up the longest, and i was...
  40. qntty

    CD player as a gyroscope in space

    I thought this was neat. A CD player has enough angular momentum to make a gyroscope.
  41. B

    How does a gyroscope react to external torque and gravitational forces?

    Hello, I would like to know how react the gyroscope like in this video: http://gyroscope.com/youtube.asp?movie=4KlddP16uuU if I stop the rotate around vertical axis. The gravity cause the precession but if I place an object in front of the gyroscope how does it works ? Thanks Bull
  42. E

    Effect of gravity on the precession rate of a gyroscope

    Homework Statement A certain gyroscope precesses at a rate of 0.60 rad/s when used on earth. If it were taken to a lunar base, where the acceleration due to gravity is 0.165 g, what would be its precession rate? Homework Equations Is the precession rate directly proportional to the...
  43. H

    Correct explanation of how gyroscope works?

    Homework Statement Hi, I'm taking AP Physics in high school, and the explanation I wrote is based on a demo in class, something like this picture: When the wheel is spinning, there is an angular momentum facing away from the string along the axis of rotation of the wheel. The gravitational...
  44. S

    Exploring Gyroscope Behavior: Tips and Ideas for Experiments

    I need to do experiments to investigate the behaviour of gyroscopes but I'm not too sure what I can do.I've thought I can use a bicycle wheel and string to demonstrate precession, but I need experiments which I can take recordings down from. Thanks for any help!
  45. J

    Gyroscope- Angular Speed, Rotational Kinematics, Precession

    Gyroscope-- Angular Speed, Rotational Kinematics, Precession Homework Statement A Gyro Stabilizer. The stabilizing gyroscope of a ship is a solid disk with a mass of 6.50×10^4 kg; its radius is 2.30m, and it rotates about a vertical axis with an angular speed of 500 rev/min. 1) How much...
  46. B

    The Paradox of Torque Along the Y-Axis for a Gyrocompass

    Hey, while reading Kleppner & Kolenkow's discourse on gyrocompasses, I ran into a statement I could not wrap my head around: "The pivots at A and B allow the system to swing freely about the y axis, so there can be no torque along the y-axis." AB is an axis along the y-axis, which is the...
  47. K

    Understanding Gyroscope Physics: Solving the Tilt and Spin Mystery

    [SOLVED] Gyroscope problem Homework Statement http://www.badongo.com/pic/3634214 The Attempt at a Solution I think this topic is very difficult to grasp, but I've understood that when a torque is applied on the wheel, its angular momentum will chase that torque. One will therefore...
  48. Y

    Gyroscope Axis Observed 45 Deg to X,Y Plane - How is This Resolved?

    The axis of a spinning gyroscope is observed to be parallel to the x,y plane and at 45 degrees to both the x and y-axis by an inertial observer at rest with the gyroscope axis. (frame S) To an inertial observer in frame S' moving parallel to the x-axis of frame S, the axis of the gyroscope...
  49. R

    Gyroscope homework question

    A gyroscope flywheel of radius 3.33 cm is accelerated from rest at 13.4 rad/s2 until its angular speed is 2760 rev/min. (a) What is the tangential acceleration of a point on the rim of the flywheel during this spin-up process? m/s2 (b) What is the radial acceleration of this point when the...
  50. B

    Gyroscope precession derivation

    alrite I am new on this forum...just discovered it...pretty awesome ok, I am looking over notes from a classical physics course i did, and I've just covered rigid bodies, and literally just got through the inertia tensor, principal axes and all that good stuff. theres a step in the...
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