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23 November 2024 21:26
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Welcome to the gyroscope forum. If you have a question about gyroscopes in general,
want to know how they work, or what they can be used for then you can leave your question here for others to answer.
You may also be able to help others by answering some of the questions on the site.
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Question |
| Asked by: |
Jerry Volland |
| Subject: |
How a Gyroscope Works |
| Question: |
A gyroscope is essentially a spinning mass. For efficiency, the mass is usually concentrated into the rim of a wheel, although other configurations will work, such as two spokes extending straight out on either side of a spinning shaft. Or even just the shaft itself. The main thing is equal distribution of mass, from one side to the other. And the further the mass is from the center, the more efficient the device becomes. Also, a higher rate of spin produces a better effect.
To understand gyroscopic action, we must first realise that, although centrifugal force is present, this force is not what causes the strange movements produced when the gyroscope is tipped. Centrifugal force is given by the equation F=MV^2. On the other hand, there is also a different equation, which deals with centrifugal acceleration: A=V^2/R. This centrifugal acceleration is the force which appears when a mass, moving at a velocity (V) is pulled through a radius (R), even when the velocity has a different direction than the tipping, as demonstrated by an orbiting satelite.
For instance, when a given point on a spinning gyroscope is pulled downwards through a curve, its spin velocity interacts with the tip radius to produce this centrifugal acceleration, which pulls the particle away from the center of the tipping movement. The result is a force vector which adds to the original vector of the particle's velocity around the central shaft, producing movement at an angle, somewhere between the two vectors. The specific angle depends on the speed of the tip compared to the speed of rotation.
At the same time, if the diametrically opposite point is tipped upwards, an opposite angle of movement results on that side, and these opposite movements cause the ends of the shaft to move in circular directions, rather than in the directions of the original tip.
Different effects can be produced by tipping the gyroscope around points which do not coincide with its own center, producing resultant vectors which differ in strength from one side to the other.
And an orbit is also a gyroscopic effect, with the same equation, since the satelite's velocity is tipped downwards by the much slower force of gravity, producing an equal but opposite reaction (i.e., levitation) if the lateral velocity is just right.
Interestingly, the velocity necessary to produce levitation with a mechanical system is much less than that of a space satelite, since the tip radius is considerably shorter. |
| Date: |
25 June 2003
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Answers (Ordered by Date)
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| Answer: |
Glenn Hawkins - 28/11/2005 09:37:07
| | | Hi Jerry,
Excellent! My only differing contention is that levitation isn’t possible, so far as I know at least. The gyro attempts to twist itself upwards on the pedestal by applying almost entirely as much force as the force given to it by gravity.
Considering levitation: There is an award of one million dollars left by an Englishman to any one who could produce levitation. Nobody has been able to claim it. Interestingly, the condition called magnetic levitation isn’t levitation either.
Some years ago we may remember a group of engineers built a huge electro magnetic machine that would magnetically charge plastic, wood and about anything. They were able to magnetically levitate a strawberry and a frog to no ill effects and they said they could levitate your grandmother if anybody could afford to build a large enough machine. The machine requires a tremendous amount of electricity.
On TV the engineers seems pretty beaten down as they waited for the million-dollar award that never came. You see if someone walking past a window touched a strawberry, or frog into the electromagnet field, the building would weigh one strawberry, or frog more than it did before.
The lines that support electromagnet levitation must have a bottom plate to force against and so the field is supported just as the roof of your house must be supported. The heaver the roof the heavy the plate registers. In order for true levitation to occur there would have to be an absence of a gravitaional effect.
If an orbital precessing gyro became weightless the pedestal would press downward only with the force from its own weight. But, of course the pedestal presses down with the combined gravitational force of both itself and the gyro. The little jerks that can be made to occur up and down on the pedestal are more like vibrations.
The money remains untouched. There’s no evidence I know of that real levitation has ever been achieved. These anti-gravity groups so far, are a cute meanest to good reasoning, but otherwise harmless and sometimes friendly.
Back to your post. It is in fact exceptionally good and worthwhile. I haven’t heard from you in ages, Jerry. Where are you?
Glenn H.
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| Report Abuse |
| Answer: |
Jerry Volland - 17/08/2006 07:56:54
| | | Hi, Glenn.
Sorry I've been busy and incommunicado at times. But I'm confident that I can claim this reward you mention. I'd appreaciate some additional information, such as who to contact.
Jerry
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| Answer: |
Arthur Dent - 17/08/2006 09:55:17
| | | Just to intrude a few matters of fact: although any rotating object can be said to exhibit gyroscopic effects, one never manufactures a gyroscope with only 2 arms. It is a basic fact that at least 3 arms are required for stability.
Also, the frog etc. were not 'charged with magnetism'. Andre Geim and others were simply exploiting weaker forms of magnetism (dia-, para-), that are possessed by just about everything, rather than the 'usual' magnetism (ferro-, electro-). Geim-type levitation had been done for decades using 'boring' objects. Only new technology and publicity stunts could ever interest the general public in such old physics.
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| Answer: |
Jerry Volland - 17/08/2006 17:43:13
| | | I can't say for sure that three arms are required. My Levitation Machine, which is a Split Gyro, only has two arms, but it doesn't tip sideways to the slightest extent as it is traveling through the air, even though the motor's weight is closer to one side.
http://www.freewebs.com/levitationmachine/levitationmachine.htm
However, it would be interesting to test a two arm gyro to see if precession occurs, to settle the question of Conservation of Momentum - as opposed to something else - as the cause.
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