Question |
| Asked by: |
bridget jones |
| Subject: |
what is a gyroscope? |
| Question: |
what is a gyroscope and what do they have to do with bikes?
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| Date: |
29 July 2003
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Answers (Ordered by Date)
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| Answer: |
webmaster - 30/07/2003 12:12:49
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| | In brief bicycle and motorbikes wheels are
in effect gyroscopes when they are spinning.
Because they are gyroscopes they help to keep the bicycle/bike up right.
Try
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/mechanics/bicycle.html
for more in depth infomation.
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| Answer: |
Nitro MacMad - 01/08/2003 00:10:16
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| | 1. A gyroscope can be a top, a toy, a jet engine, a helicopter rotor, an element of a compas, an orbiting space craft, a planet, a universe or a sub atomic particle - amongst other things (it has been used as an energy store for a trolly bus or car). It is a rotating mass that can precess, depending on its mass, diameter and rotational speed, some or all of a force applied to change its axial angle (or a means of storing energy,for a shortish time.)
2. In truth gyros and bikes have little in common. Bike wheels make good gyros for demonstrating that action and reaction can be 90 degrees out of kilter. Though the reason that a bike stays upright (or in angled equalibrium while cornering) has nothing whatsoever to do with gyrodianamics. Not wishing to bore more - please ask, if you would like more information on this.
P.S.Didn't you write a Diary?
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| Answer: |
Jerry Volland - 12/08/2003 00:13:31
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| | If you make a gyroscope by putting handles on a bike wheel (which someone spins for you), it will make you turn around and around on a bar stool as you hold the wheel in front of you, with the handles horizontal.
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| Answer: |
DJF - 30/08/2003 01:26:53
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| | The idea that gyrostatic effects keep a bicycle upright was disproved years ago by Dr D.E.H.Jones, who mounted a concentric counter-rotating wheel (thus destroying any gyroscopic effect) on a bicycle. It made no difference to the balance.
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