Gyroscope

[Music] [Music] this is a gyroscope it consists of a metal wheel mounted on an axle the wheel and axle spin freely secured in a metal frame this simple device can behave in the most unexpected ways the components of this simple mechanism are obvious and it doesn't seem to have any special capabilities try to stand it on end and it falls over try to suspend it like this and it drops apparently it can't defy gravity but spin the wheel and all that changes a string provides a simple method method to spin the [Music] wheel the first thing I notice about the spinning gyroscope is that it resists attempts to change its position a resistive Force appears when I attempt to tilt or rotate the gyro now when I stand it on the tabletop it stays vertical the spinning wheel is creating a force that holds the gyroscope upright when the wheel stops the force disappears and the gyroscope Falls incredibly this force will support the gyroscope like this it appears to be levitating a spinning gyroscope will balance on a [Music] string you can even lift the gyroscope with a string looped around one end [Music] this interesting behavior is difficult to explain physicists have determined that a rotating wheel has angular momentum similar to the momentum that a stone flying through the air has to change the direction of the stone requires a force similarly changing the orientation of the rotating wheel requires Force the spinning wheel prefers to stay oriented as it it is and it resists any attempt to change that orientation the fact that gyroscopes will maintain a particular orientation in space is very useful in modern aircraft an inertial guidance system uses spinning gyroscopes to Monitor and control the orientation of the aircraft the gyroscope is suspended in a special cage that allows it to maintain its orientation independent of the aircraft's position if the aircraft rolls electric sensors and contacts connected to the gyro send information to the pilot about the aircraft's [Music] orientation the Mars rover explores the surface of Mars using spinning gyroscopes to provide stability and navigational information [Music] this full-sized robotic helicopter flies without an onboard pilot gyroscopes provide stability and navigation gyroscopes have become essential components of aircraft ships robots and spacecraft if you're interested in experimenting with a gyroscope they are available from online science and hobby retailers the gyroscopes I using are manufactured by Ted Co Manufacturing in Hagerstown Indiana they are identical to toy gyroscopes first manufactured over 90 years ago more science and technology related videos can be found at our website higher.com follow the projects [Music] link

Channel: ScienceOnline

Views: 17,754,627

Keywords: gyroscope, angular, momentum, science, physics, toy, inertial, guidance, aircraft, navigation, robotics, ISS, lunar, lander, ships

Id: cquvA_IpEsA

Length: 5min 1sec (301 seconds)

Published: Fri Jan 02 2009