Question |
| Asked by: |
Elena Capurro |
| Subject: |
Gyroscopes are lighter when in motion |
| Question: |
Hi,
I'm doing some Research on Gyroscopes for a Documentary Series I'm developing for the Discovery Channel.
I'm trying to find some extraordinary facts about gyroscopes. One of my producers read something about gyroscopes being lighter when in motion and therefore scientists are looking into the possibility of using them as an alternative power source for the future, instead of just using them as gyroscopes. Can anyone verify this and possibly expand a little on it?
Thank you
Elena |
| Date: |
14 June 2007
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Answers (Ordered by Date)
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| Answer: |
webmaster - 18/06/2007 01:19:14
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| | This is myth, that just spinning a gyroscope will make it lighter. This came about from a paper from Tokohu University. It claimed just that. However, this was disproved in a matter of weeks. I have only ever once heard of gyroscopes being used as a power source and even then that had a very poor basis.
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| Answer: |
Sandy Kidd - 03/07/2007 12:17:33
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| | Elena,
Glenn is correct in the fact that a rotating gyroscope does not lose any weight.
However this changes with the application of an external force to the rotating gyroscope.
What really happens is quite difficult to explain in a way which is easily believed, but for your benefit I am prepared to try.
I have said before that gyroscopic action is a state of mind.
Under certain conditions a gyroscope in motion will lose all its weight but what makes it really interesting is what other tricks it can do.
Unfortunately to do this, it will now be operating outside accepted principles, making the outcome unacceptable to the physicists.
I have on numerous occasions over the years made claims to this effect on this site but my claims have either never been put to the test, or are just disbelieved.
However if you are still keen to gather this kind of information contact me at
sandy.kidd@hotmail.co.uk
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| Answer: |
Tom Schum - 21/07/2007 18:01:13
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| | Here is one surprising thing about gyros I recently learned.
When you place the gyro so the axle is vertical, and look down on it, if it is rotating clockwise you can rotate the mount for the axis clockwise and nothing will happen.
If you rotate the mount counterclockwise, however, the gyro will try to flip over.
In other words, when the gyro is rotating in the same direction you are rotating the mount, it is stable. When the gyro is rotating in the opposite direction from the direction you are rotating the mount, it is not stable and will flip over.
When it flips, it will flip over in either direction, whichever one has the shortest arc.
You will have a hard time finding this in any documents available on the web. I know. I looked.
Tom Schum
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| Answer: |
Momentus - 25/07/2007 15:30:53
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| | Hi Elena,
Gyroscopes can be used as a means of very efficient power transmission, but not as a power source. For your programme you may be interested in the extraordinary fact that this configuration can also demonstrate the creation of angular momentum.
The behavior of the simple offset gyroscope also transcends the current paradigm of Newtonian dynamics. It is impossible to mathematically model the simple child’s toy.
If you are still seeking material for your documentary you may wish to consider my walking gyroscope, which moves in flagrant disregard of Newton’s 3rd law.
My email address is
brian@formdisk.freeserve.co.uk
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