Elementary Analysis of the Gyroscope

F. BARKER
ERNEST
University oj Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
(Received March 3, 1960)

The simple gyroscope is an excellent subject for a lecture table demonstration to classes in
elementary physics. The only observable force acting upon the precessing top is a downward
pull due to gravity, yet, instead of falling, it moves with a continuous horizontal displacement.
An adequate and convincing explanation of this curious behavior is essential, and it must be
stated in language familiar to the student. One possible approach to the problem, using a very
simple model, is given here. The internal reactions are described and their values are computed.
Because of some difficulty in visualizing motion in three dimensions, it is recommended that a
model be constructed. It may be very crude and yet quite adequate.

T H E gyroscopic top provides one of the most

intriguing of al'l lecture demonstrations in
elementary physics. I t never fails to command
attention, and to arouse the keenest interest.
When such a top, having been properly set in
motion, is supported at one end of its axis, i t
executes a simple precession about the vertical.
Although the only obvious force acting upon it
is the downward pull of gravity, the motion is
horizontal. Almost invariably the students ask,
"What keeps it from falling, and what makes
i t precess?" I t is of the utmost importance that
the instructor be prepared to answer these ques-
tions in a convincing way, and in familiar lan-
guage. One approach, which experience has
proved t o be helpful, is presented here. I t is
neither as economical nor as elegant as the ex-
planation in terms of axial vectors given in many
textbooks, but i t utilizes no ideas more compli-
cated than the addition and subtraction of veloc-
ities, and yields specific information about in-
FIG.1. Simple model of gyroscopic top.
808
ternal forces which produce the gyroscopic effects.
The problem is much simplified by the adop-
tion of a model for the rotor, like that illustrated
in Fig. 1. I t consists of four small bodies, each
of mass m, which may be considered as point
masses. They are mounted symmetrically a t D,
E, G, and H by means of two perpendicular cross-
bars passing through the axis A B a t its midpoint
C, which is the center of mass of the moving
system. For present purposes no complicated
bearings are necessary.
Initially friction may be neglected, and the
frame assumed to be weightless. Each particle
is distant r from C, and rotates as indicated
about the axis A B with an angular velocity w.
The plane containing the four masses will be
referred to as the rotor plane. Its distance from
A , the point of support, is R, and i t precesses
with an angular velocity In. The linear velocity
of the center of mass is V=OR. Each mass fol-
lows a path which is continually changing in
direction, and, therefore, the motion is acceler-
ated. The accelerations arise from forces exerted
upon the individual masses by the framework.
Each mass in turn reacts upon the framework
with a force proportional to its instantaneous
acceleration but opposite in direction. Some of
these reactions are simply centrifugal, due either
to the rotation or to the precession, but these
need not be considered, since they contribute
nothing to the gyroscopic effect. I t is clear that
there must be some equilibrating torque which
neutralizes the torque due to gravity, and i t
must arise from interactions within the system
itself, i.e., the influence of precession upon the
 GYROSCOPE ANALYSIS
rotational velocities, and of rotation upon the
precessional velocities.
Assume that A B is horizontal (sine= 1) and
DE is vertical. The interactions will cause ac-
celerations of the masses a t D and E , but produce
no effects on those a t G and H, since a t these
points the velocities due to rotation are parallel
to the axis of precession; although displaced by
the precession, the rotational velocities of G and
H suffer no changes either in direction or in mag-
nitude. When the mass D is a t its highest point
it has a horizontal velocity v = wr due to rotation,
directed outward from the page. At the same
instant the mass a t E is moving into the page
with an equal velocity. These velocities, lying in
the rotor plane, will be changing in direction be-
FIG.2. View looking downward along DE showing change
in direction of the rotational velocity v, because of pre-
cession. The precessional velocity V, turns counterclock-
wise and the rotational velocities v a t D and E lie in the
rotor plane which turns with the precession.
cause the rotor plane itself is turning about the
axis DE. Both of the velocities v will be deflected
as shown in Fig. 2. These are views looking down-
ward along the line DE.
During a time At the linear displacement of
each v due to precession is VAt, and the angle
through which i t turns is VAt/R. This is equal
to the angle Av/v. Hence the acceleration is
The mass D is accelerated away from the axis
Z (Fig. I), while E is accelerated toward the axis,
by forces each equal to mal. The inertial reactions
in each case are forces in the opposite directions
exerted by the masses upon the framework. Mass
D pushes the framework inward (towards Z)
809
FIG.3. Change in velocity V due t o rotation. Point D
moves t o D' and V , which is perpendicular to the radius
vector from A, turns out of the rotor plane. The same
thing happens a t point E which is displaced to E', the same
distance but in the opposite direction, causing V t o swing
to the left.
while mass E pushes it outward. The forces are
in the directions of Fl and Fz in Fig. 1. The two
resulting torques add together, giving a total
torque due to the precession
This is incomplete, however, since it does not
take into account any effects due to rotation, since
the line DE was assumed to be vertical.
If DE rotates through a small angle in the di-
rection indicated in Fig. 1, the precessional veloc-
ity V moves out of the rotor plane. This is indi-
cated in Fig. 3, which is a view looking downward
along DE. During a time At the rotation causes
mass D to move outward from the page to a
point D f , with a new radius vector R'. Since the
precessional velocity V must be perpendicular
to the radius vector, it will be turned through
an angle A V / V = DD1/R= vAt/R, and its acceler-
ation is
a z= A V/At = Vv/R, (3)
directed outward from the page. This Is exactly
equal to al and in the same direction. I t measures
the effect of rotation upon precession. The cor-
responding acceleration of E is in the opposite
direction.
Combining these four accelerations, since they
are simultaneous, and multiplying by m and r
gives the final torque
24 being the sum of the four masses. The torque
depends upon both w and Q. If the magnitude
and direction of w are given, the magnitude and
direction of Q for steady motion would be de-
termined by the requirement that Q must be
equal to the gravitational torque MgR. I t remains
810 ERNEST F. BARKER
to show how the precession is set up, and how
its value is automatically selected.
Suppose that the rotor is supported a t both
A and B, and is already spinning a t a fairly
high speed, but without precession. If the sup-
port a t A is removed, the rotor will start to
fall. Both masses G and H will move downward
because of gravity, along circular arcs of radius
R with centers on the X axis (see Fig. 1).At the
same time G will be moving downward and H
will be moving upward, because of the rotation,
while both will be turning inward, toward the
page. Consequently, G will be accelerated inward
toward the X Z plane, while H will be accelerated
outward. Thus the framework will be subjected
to horizontal forces outward a t G and inward
a t H, producing a torque about a vertical axis,
e.g., the Z axis, which initiates the precession.
As long as the system continues t o fall, the
angular momentum of precession will be acceler-
ated. This precession, in turn, generates the
torque which opposes the fall, as has already
been shown. When fi reaches the proper value
Q will equal the gravitational torque. At this
instant, however, the downward motion will not
cease since the downward momentum has just
reached its maximum. As this point of equilibrium
is passed, an upward retarding torque is gener-
ated. This brings the falling motion to a stop,
and causes it to return upward, to pass the point
of equilibrium again. Thus there is a n oscillation
downward and upward which, in the absence of
friction, will continue indefinitely. This motion
is called nutation. In an actual top there will be
friction, of course, and this rapidly damps out
the nutation. In fact, this effect may be difficult
to observe in a demonstration model, and the
motion may appear to be a steady precession
from the beginning. The center of gravity will
move downward gradually, however, since po-
tential energy is being transformed into heat.
The system always has some dead weight be-
cause of framework and mountings. These con-
tribute to the gravitational torque, and make
necessary an increased angular momentum to
maintain the motion.
The accelerations derived previously apply
only to the case where DE is vertical. As D moves
outward from this position, its velocity v has
both horizontal and vertical components, the
latter being parallel to the axis Z. The effective
component v, decreases as cos4, 4 being the angle
of rotation, measured from the initial position.
At the same time the radius r turns through the
same angle, and its effective component is verti-
cal with the value cos4. Thus the contribution
of D to the equilibrating torque Q decreases as
cos24, and the same holds for the contribution
of mass E. The situation is saved, however, by
the fact that G and H develop horizontal com-
ponents which produce additions to Q, propor-
tional to sin24, and the total value of Q remains
unchanged.
Since the foregoing solution holds for any
value of 4, it must also hold if many additional
similar rotors were added to form a continuous
ring. The addition of other hoops of equal radius,
with centers distributed along the rotational axis,
would be allowed if a proper value of R were
introduced. Similarly, hoops with different radii
could be added, if appropriate average values of
r are computed. In other words, the rotor may
have any mass distribution, as long as it is sym-
metrical about the rotational axis. The general
case may be expressed very simply: Q= Io8,
where I is the moment of inertia about the axis.
This is exactly the result obtained in Eq. (4).
The student's questions have now been an-
swered. The mass particles which form the rotor
are moving with velocities which change con-
tinuously in direction. These changes give rise
to accelerations and hence to internal torques
exerted upon the moving system by the mass
particles. In steady motion these internal torques
exactly counterbalance the gravitational torque.
If the spinning rotor has no precession, it will
begin to fall, causing internal torques which
initiate the precession.
The simple model makes i t relatively easy to
see how these effects arise. Perhaps the greatest
difficulty is the problem of visualizing the three-
dimensional motions. This can be relieved by
constructing a model, which will be quite ade-
quate, even if it is very crude.