Well after lying awake a couple times thinking about spinning things, I've finally decided to try some experiments in the area. I mean why does a child's spinning top stay upright? So having read and researched just a little on this I am again humbled by just how much has been done by for the most part unknown people. I have also the distinct impression that very very smart people struggled greatly with what they were finding often utilizing new terminology and questioning very basic assumptions. By way of background I would direct people to Dr. Eric Laithwaite's PhD DSc Christmas lecture to children on gyroscopes. It is just my speed. Also the work of Bruce DePalma.
In trying to simplify the issue of a gyroscope's behavior in my mind as much as possible the question that occured to me is can a ball spin in more than one axis simultaneously? Picture a bright blue ball just spinning, spinning free ... it's dizzy with possibilities (sorry, line from a Grateful Dead song). But if you have say a beachball spinning one way can you also spin it at right angles? Well, per what we see from gyroscopic precession the answer is yes, but that's where all sorts of madcap zaniness ensues for our rowdy beachgoers. The ball, or disk in the case of a gyroscope resists the force applied, does not rotate in the direction of the applied torque but instead generates a torque at right angles to the applied torque. Dr. Laithwaite made the observation that this is analogous to the Righthand Rule for electromagnetic coils.
So the first experiments will be to look at precession and repeat what others have done. The experimental set-up will consist of a gimbaled gyroscope, a rotary tool, an RPM meter and some small weights to apply torque. Initial questions include what is the relationship between the rate of precession and the applied force, I am guessing a direct relationship. What is the relationship between the disc's rotational speed and precessional rate for a given force. I have no idea. If I understand Bruce DePalma correctly he said it follows a square law. Laithwaite demonstrated doubling the moment arm of a weight on the side of a gyroscope and showing increased precession speed. The oddness of that one did take a while to sink in. When you double a lever arm you increase the force but the mass is displaced by a lesser distance, in this instance not only is the mass not displaced in the direction of force at all, but the speed of the hanging weight is increased, you on the surface are getting different work rates from the same input. There is much more to examine, especially in regards to inertia but that can wait for later experiments. Other things I would like to do initially but likely won't unless I contact a machine shop would include how does the mass of a rotor relate to precession, how does the distribution of mass of a rotor relate to precession, how does the geometry of a sphere or tube compare with a disc?
There is a very great deal that is strange and wonderful with spinning things. DePalma states that the these findings and interactions extend to magnetic fields as well. I want to stay away from that for now as it occured to me that we don't have a good sensory system for electricity or magnetism and there are already unseen forces at work when dealing with gyroscopes. So along with all the other things happening with gyroscopes, in this first part I just want to confirm that there is a right angle tangential force generated with gyroscopes and that it is only a torque and and not also a translational force. I.e. does a spinning ball on a straight track show any non-Newtonian behavior? I don't know, I don't think so. However, for those familiar with DePalma's spinning ball experiment, what I am guessing is that you would have greatly different results depending on whether the spinning ball and the control ball are shot at 90 degrees to the Earth's gravitation field versus 45 degrees. Further that the very small difference in the later dropped spinning ball versus non spinning ball might be due to imperfections in the sphere leading to minute torques on the falling ball. Then again I don't know, maybe I'll find out. Considering the state of our world is it any wonder we are also blind to the creation around us?
So hope to have a video and some data maybe late next week.
In trying to simplify the issue of a gyroscope's behavior in my mind as much as possible the question that occured to me is can a ball spin in more than one axis simultaneously? Picture a bright blue ball just spinning, spinning free ... it's dizzy with possibilities (sorry, line from a Grateful Dead song). But if you have say a beachball spinning one way can you also spin it at right angles? Well, per what we see from gyroscopic precession the answer is yes, but that's where all sorts of madcap zaniness ensues for our rowdy beachgoers. The ball, or disk in the case of a gyroscope resists the force applied, does not rotate in the direction of the applied torque but instead generates a torque at right angles to the applied torque. Dr. Laithwaite made the observation that this is analogous to the Righthand Rule for electromagnetic coils.
So the first experiments will be to look at precession and repeat what others have done. The experimental set-up will consist of a gimbaled gyroscope, a rotary tool, an RPM meter and some small weights to apply torque. Initial questions include what is the relationship between the rate of precession and the applied force, I am guessing a direct relationship. What is the relationship between the disc's rotational speed and precessional rate for a given force. I have no idea. If I understand Bruce DePalma correctly he said it follows a square law. Laithwaite demonstrated doubling the moment arm of a weight on the side of a gyroscope and showing increased precession speed. The oddness of that one did take a while to sink in. When you double a lever arm you increase the force but the mass is displaced by a lesser distance, in this instance not only is the mass not displaced in the direction of force at all, but the speed of the hanging weight is increased, you on the surface are getting different work rates from the same input. There is much more to examine, especially in regards to inertia but that can wait for later experiments. Other things I would like to do initially but likely won't unless I contact a machine shop would include how does the mass of a rotor relate to precession, how does the distribution of mass of a rotor relate to precession, how does the geometry of a sphere or tube compare with a disc?
There is a very great deal that is strange and wonderful with spinning things. DePalma states that the these findings and interactions extend to magnetic fields as well. I want to stay away from that for now as it occured to me that we don't have a good sensory system for electricity or magnetism and there are already unseen forces at work when dealing with gyroscopes. So along with all the other things happening with gyroscopes, in this first part I just want to confirm that there is a right angle tangential force generated with gyroscopes and that it is only a torque and and not also a translational force. I.e. does a spinning ball on a straight track show any non-Newtonian behavior? I don't know, I don't think so. However, for those familiar with DePalma's spinning ball experiment, what I am guessing is that you would have greatly different results depending on whether the spinning ball and the control ball are shot at 90 degrees to the Earth's gravitation field versus 45 degrees. Further that the very small difference in the later dropped spinning ball versus non spinning ball might be due to imperfections in the sphere leading to minute torques on the falling ball. Then again I don't know, maybe I'll find out. Considering the state of our world is it any wonder we are also blind to the creation around us?
So hope to have a video and some data maybe late next week.
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