- #1
Styker7
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Recently I've become fascinated with Gyroscopes and how they work. I am a high-schooler that only has a small physics background so any "dumb downed" answers would be appreciated.
First, I rigged up a bicycle wheel gyroscope (in which i hung a bicycle wheel from a rope and twisted the wheel to watch it turn in a circle about the rope). What I don't understand is how this example of a gyroscope pertains to a mechanical gyroscope. In the mechanical gyroscope the unmoving point is the center piece.
But what is the unmoving point in the bicycle wheel? (An analogy as an answer would be very helpful for me here. I.E. Bicycle Wheel=Center point; Rope=Gimbal)
How does a mechanical gyroscope show precession?
How is it that a mechanical gyroscope is amazing? I assumed that because it is not fixed to any of the gimbals it does not need to move in the direction that they are moving.
Also, pertaining to the bicycle wheel gyroscope; I understand that precession is caused by Newton's first law which, when implied, means that since the bicycle wheel can not progress in a straight forward motion it must proceed in a circular fashion. Is this correct?
How is it that precession cancels out the gravitational force?
First, I rigged up a bicycle wheel gyroscope (in which i hung a bicycle wheel from a rope and twisted the wheel to watch it turn in a circle about the rope). What I don't understand is how this example of a gyroscope pertains to a mechanical gyroscope. In the mechanical gyroscope the unmoving point is the center piece.
But what is the unmoving point in the bicycle wheel? (An analogy as an answer would be very helpful for me here. I.E. Bicycle Wheel=Center point; Rope=Gimbal)
How does a mechanical gyroscope show precession?
How is it that a mechanical gyroscope is amazing? I assumed that because it is not fixed to any of the gimbals it does not need to move in the direction that they are moving.
Also, pertaining to the bicycle wheel gyroscope; I understand that precession is caused by Newton's first law which, when implied, means that since the bicycle wheel can not progress in a straight forward motion it must proceed in a circular fashion. Is this correct?
How is it that precession cancels out the gravitational force?