Experiment V

The Gyroscope and Torsional Pendulum

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this experiment are a) to determine the relationship between the spin and
precession angular velocities, and the applied moment of a gyroscope, and b) to determine the
mass moment of inertia of a rotor using a torsional pendulum.

THEORY

A mass rotating at high angular velocity about an axis results in an angular momentum vector
along that axis. Because of the Principle of Conservation of Momentum, the orientation of the
axis can not be changed without introducing a moment vector. This effect, called the gyroscopic
effect, is utilized beneficially in the gyroscope (for navigation), but can also result in unwanted
forces on bearings in rotating machinery.

Consider the disc in Fig. V-1, rotating with angular velocity, ωs, called the spin velocity, about
the spin axis oy . In this position the disc will have angular momentum H = Iωs, where I is the
mass moment of inertia of the disc about the spin axis. It is noted that H and ωs are vectors, as
shown.

Figure V-1 Illustration of Gyroscopic Moment

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Furthermore, consider that the spin axis rotates about oz with angular velocity ωp, in a motion
known as precession. Thus, during the time Δt the precession causes the spin axis to rotate
through angle Δθ = ωp Δt, and the angular momentum to change by the vector difference, ΔH, as
shown. The magnitude of ΔH is thus

ΔH = H ω p Δt = I ω s ω p Δt, (V-1)

or

ΔH
= I ω sω p (V-2)
Δt

But, Newton’s law of motion states that the applied moment on a system equals the time rate of
change of angular momentum; thus, in the limit as Δt approaches zero, the magnitude of the
applied moment is

dH
M = = I ω sω p (V-3)
dt

In this limit, as Δt → 0, it should be noted that ΔH becomes perpendicular to H, and parallel to

the ox axis. The vector M is in the same direction as dH (i.e. the negative x-direction as shown).
The interpretation is that for the spin axis to precess with angular velocity ωp while the disc is
spinning with ωs, as shown, it is necessary to apply a moment to the disc which tends to push
down on the “front” of the disc, and lift up on the “back” (closer to the coordinate origin, as
indicated). Compare this to the apparatus in Fig. V-2, where the rotation of the gimbal yoke
causes the precession of the rotor, and the gimbal weight applies the external moment to the rotor
(disc).

In Fig. V-1, it should be noted that the direction of the precession, denoted by vector ωp, is such
that to rotate the spin vector towards the moment vector. This behavior is always true for our
convention in defining positive rotation and moment, and can be stated as an application of the
“right hand rule”: With the raised thumb of the right hand oriented in the direction of the
precession vector, the curled four fingers show the direction of movement of the spin vector
towards the moment vector. Thus, knowing the direction of any two of the vectors M, ωp, ωs, the
direction of the third can be found from this rule. In vector notation, the relation between M, ωp,
and ωs is

M = I ω p x ωs (V-4)

To experimentally validate the above relationships between the applied moment and the
precession and the spin angular velocities, it is necessary to know the value of the mass moment
of inertia. If only a disc was spinning, as in Fig. V-1, the moment of inertia could be determined
using calculus. However, in this experiment, the spinning member includes the rotor of the
electric motor, as well as a disc mounted on the motor shaft, as shown in Fig. V-2. Therefore,
the moment of inertia of this rotor assembly must be determined experimentally. For this
purpose, consider a rotor assembly of the same design suspended by a wire of length L and

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diameter D. If the rotor is twisted through some angle and released, it will oscillate in a simple
harmonic motion with a period P, which can be calculated by:

IL
P = 2π (V-5)
GJ

where

G = Modulus of rigidity of the wire (11.5 x 106 PSI for steel)

J = Polar second moment of area of the wire.

Thus, solving Eq. (V-5) for I, the mass moment of inertia is

P2GJ
I = (V-6)
4π2L

where J is given in terms of the wire diameter as

π D4
J = (V-7)
32

DESCRIPTION OF APPARATUS

The apparatus used in this experiment is shown in Fig. V-2, and consists of a disc mounted on
the spindle of a small variable speed motor carried in a yoke or trunnion frame, which in turn can
be rotated by a second variable speed geared motor unit.

The rotor motor is carried in an aluminum ring (gimbal) mounted transversely in ball bearings in
the trunnion frame. Various masses may be attached to the motor frame to balance the
gyroscopic couple present when the motor is running.

To ensure that no force be transmitted to the vertical shaft bearings of the precession axis, a
counter weight equal to half the gimbal weight may be attached to the trunnion frame. A plunger
attached to the rear end of the motor housing fits into an oil dash-pot so that equilibrium
operating condition is rapidly attained.

The speed control unit houses the rate controls for the gyroscope spin and precessing speeds, the
gyroscope rate recorder, a flashing lamp indicator (giving one flash per revolution of the
trunnion frame), and an electro-magnetic counter for recording the number of revolutions of the
trunnion frame against time. Two reversing switches allow the two motors to be run in clockwise
or counter-clockwise directions.

PROCEDURE

WARNING! Stay back from the gyroscope whenever it is in motion. A severe bruise could
otherwise result from contact with the rotating yoke frame.

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1. Pretest operation of gyroscope and control console. Observe direction of rotor and yoke
rotations. Do not switch directions of rotation when motors are running. Set directions of
rotation to correspond to the “right hand rule”. Check that there is sufficient damping oil in
the damper.

2. Install a gimbal weight to produce a moment of 5 lb-in, and install half the gimbal weight as
the counter weight (see Fig. V-2).

3. Spin the rotor at 2,000 RPM and measure the speed with a laser gun. Determine precession
rate to balance the gimbal (observe balance indicator from a distance when the frame is
rotating). Use a fairly large number of precession revolutions (10-20) to minimize the
counting errors. Measure spin speed again.

4. Reduce spin and precession speeds to zero, reverse directions, and repeat step 3.

5. Repeat procedures in steps 3 and 4 for spin speeds of 3,000, 4,000, and 5,000 RPM.

6. Spin rotor at 4,000 RPM and repeat procedures in steps 3 and 4 for the gyroscope moments
of 10, 15, and 20 lb-in.

7. To determine the moment of inertia, carefully measure the length and diameter of the
suspending wire (use calipers or micrometer for diameter, measure several places and
estimate error).

8. Displace the rotor assembly about 45° and determine time for 10 to 20 oscillations. Repeat
several times to obtain average period.

REPORT REQUIREMENTS

1. Tabulate the data for the constant moment (Procedure steps 3 & 4), and constant spin speed
(Procedure step 6) parts of the experiment.
2. For the constant moment part, plot the data points of 1/ωp versus ωs. Show the theoretical
curve as a solid line, based on Eqs. (V-3) and (V-6).
3. For the constant spin speed part, plot the data points of M versus ωp. Show the theoretical
curve as a solid line, based on Eqs. (V-3) and (V-6).
4. Determine the error/uncertainty associated with the data points, and the theoretical curves.
Do the theoretical and experimental results agree within experimental error?
5. As an insert in the above graphs, show the relative orientations of the moment, spin and
precession vectors.

REFERENCES

[1] Beer, F. P., and E. R. Johnston, Jr., Vector Mechanics for Engineers, McGraw-Hill.

[2] Myszka, D., Machines and Mechanisims, Prentice-Hall, 1999.

[3] Thomson, W. T., Vibration Theory and Applications, Prentice-Hall.

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