The Mysterious Stabilization of a Spinning Top

[aaaa202]

Everyone has seen a spinning top in action, and maybe some of you have also seen how they're able to stabilize completely like shown in the attached picture. I do get that they're hard to stop spinning because of conservation of angular momentum, but that they should be able to stabilize just seems weird.

 

[rahon]

No, Left top will get another spin, precession
▽check this out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gyroscope_precession.gif

This happen because of conservation of angular momentum.

 

[aaaa202]

I think you misunderstood me. I'm asking how it's able to get back into the position where it stands completely upright after it's been struck and started to preces at angle. I am pretty sure I have seen that happen.

 

[torquil]

My immediate guess is that it might be useful to consider the consequences of the contact point not being a perfect mathematical point, and the resulting interaction between the angular momenta of the top and the surface on which it spins...