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Gyroscope

Olympic divers Precession of North Pole

Gravity Probe B gyroscope

The application of Newton's laws to bodies undergoing rotational motion involves the concepts of angular momentum and torque. The Earth rotates on its axis at the same time as orbiting the sun. Other bodies in the solar system exert a torque on the Earth's angular momentum which causes it to presses, so that the position of the North Pole rotates once every 26,000 years. Similar effects have caused the appearance and disappearance of ice ages on Earth during the past millions of years. Nowadays gyroscopes are used in aircraft and spacecraft control systems, and also in experiments to probe the structure of space-time. NASAs Gravity Probe B, launched in 2004, will spend 1 year orbiting the earth, and careful observations of its 4 gyroscopes will be used to study "frame dragging" (whereby the Earth twists nearby regions of space).

Objectives 1. measure moment of inertia of an aluminium disk. 2. investigate the precession of a gyroscope. 3. investigate the nutation of a gyroscope.

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2 Key safety This experiment uses a large gyroscope based on a bicycle wheel. The gyroscope is balanced on the end of a pointed steel rod. Since the gyroscope is heavy, and the rod is sharply pointed, care must be taken not to injure oneself on the point. The gyroscope is made to spin manually, and care must be taken not to let fingers be caught in the spokes of the wheel. For some of the measurements, the gyroscope is supported below its centre of gravity. This means that it is unstable and will fall over if there is no intervention from the experimenter.

Apparatus large gyroscope digital counter 2x infrared detector arms 2x multicore cables stand base with gyroscope support pole 2x 100g weights vernier callipers dynamometer with scale up to 100N torsion axle with V-shape stand base stopwatch circular Al disk with perforations

Key apparatus This experiment involves many observations made on a large gyroscope which is spinning, and at the same time precessing or nutating. The measurements will only be valid if the gyroscope is undergoing the motion described in the experiment guide. Hence you should make sure that you can judge correctly when these motions are occurring. The observations made are the frequency of rotation and precession or nutation. The frequency of rotation is relatively easy to measure using an infrared detector and digital counter. However, the frequencies of precession and nutation are more difficult to measure carefully, and better measurements may be obtained with a stopwatch.

Useful constants mass of Al disk mass of gyroscope including spindle measure it using scale 3.15kg

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3 Section 1. moment of inertia of an aluminium disk. Physical pendulum The moment of inertia of a rigid body about an axis z is defined as Iz = j mj rj2 = r2 dm where r is the distance perpendicular to the axis. For bodies with a high degree of symmetry, the integral can be calculated analytically. For a cylinder of mass Mcyl and radius Rcyl the moment of inertia about the axis of symmetry is Icyl = 1/2 McylRcyl2 A rotational body with moment of inertia I, which is subjected to a torque T, will undergo rotational acceleration d2/dt2. T = I d2/dt2 where I is the moment of inertia. The moment of inertia I about a given axis can be measured for any rigid body which is acting as a physical pendulum. To act as a physical pendulum, the body must experience a torque due to the force of gravity. For small angle , the torque due to gravity is T = mg sin r mg r = where m is the mass and r is distance from the centre of mass to the axis of rotation. Such a physical pendulum will undergo simple harmonic motion with angular frequency = (/I)1/2 = (mgr/I)1/2 Note that the angular frequency is constant, and is not equal to the angular velocity of the pendulum ( = d/dt) which varies as a sinus. The angular frequency can be determined by measuring the frequency of rotation f, or by measuring the period of rotation t, by using = 2f = 2/t The moment of inertia of the aluminium disk can be measured by making a physical pendulum. Use a bench stand with a multiclamp to arrange the aluminium disk in a vertical orientation on a horizontal axis (ask a demonstrator if you're not sure how to arrange this). To introduce a torque to the aluminium disk, attach two 100g weights to the rim of the disk. Now if the disk is rotated by a small angle , it will experience a torque T = Mwtg sin Rwt = Mwtg Rwt = wt where Mwt=200g and Rwt is the distance from the rotational axis to the two 100g weights.

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4 The aluminium disk plus weights is now a physical pendulum, and will undergo simple harmonic motion with an angular frequency = (wt/Itot)1/2 where Itot is the total moment of inertia, and is equal to Itot = MwtRwt2 + IAl where MwtRwt2 is the moment of inertia of the two 100g weights relative to the axis of rotation, and IAl is the moment of inertia of the Al disk. Rearranging gives IAl = MwtRwtgt2/42 - MwtRwt2 Measure the period t and hence determine the moment of inertia of the aluminium plate, IAl. Steiner's law A rigid body may rotate about an axis which does not pass through its centre of gravity. In this case, the moment of inertia is I' = I + ma2 where I is the moment of inertia about a parallel axis which does pass through the centre of gravity, m is the mass of the body, and a is the perpendicular distance between the axes. In such cases, the body can be made to act as a physical pendulum because the axis of rotation is not at the centre of gravity. This provides a way to determine the moment of inertia, by measuring the period of oscillation. From the equation for a physical pendulum the angular velocity will depend on the value of a according to ' = ('/I')1/2 = (mga/I')1/2 hence the moment of inertia for a=0 can be found I = mgat2/42 - ma2 Measure the moment of inertia of the aluminium disk for axes displaced from the centre of gravity up to 16 cm in steps of 4cm, as shown in the figure. Compare with the calculated value Icyl = 1/2 McylRcyl2.

Figure: different positions of axis for physical pendulum.

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5 Section 2. precession of a gyroscope Moment of inertia The moment of inertia of the gyroscope can be measured by making a physical pendulum. Use the simple bench clamp, the 75cm stand rod and a Leybold multiclamp to set up the gyroscope as shown in the figure. The gyroscope should be clamped on its axle close to its centre of gravity (ask a demonstrator if you're not sure how to arrange this). To introduce a torque to the gyroscope, attach two 100g masses to the rim of the bicycle wheel. Now find the moment of inertia of the gyroscope by using the same procedure as for the aluminium disk. You may wish to use an infrared detector arm and electronic timer, activated by the spokes of the bicycle wheel.

Figure: making a physical pendulum using the gyroscope. Centre of gravity Now set up the gyroscope so that it is balanced on the V-shape stand base with gyroscope support pole as shown in the figures below. If the balance point is exactly at the centre of gravity, then the gyroscope will remain at any orientation without falling or righting itself. Try altering the length of the gyroscope spindle by changing the position of the locking screw, as shown in the figure. Identify the position corresponding to centre of gravity. This will approximately correspond with the line marked on the axle. However, for the following measurements the position must be known accurately, so make a record using the vernier callipers.

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Figure: setting the distance d between the balance point s and the centre of gravity s0.

inputs E and F Figure: digital counter for use to time period of rotation and precession. Note positions of inputs E and F.

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7 Precession Precession occurs when a gyroscope moves under the influence of an external force. The figure shows a gyroscope with its balance point at the origin of right-angled coordinate system. There is a distance d from the origin to the centre of gravity s0. The tilt of the gyroscope with respect to the z-axis is . The angular momentum of the gyroscope is L = I , where is the angular frequency of gyroscope rotation and I is the moment of inertia.

s0

Figure: gyroscope precessing due to external force. The force acting on the gyroscope centre of gravity is F = mg. This force causes a torque r r r r dL T =dF = dt In magnitude: T = mgd sin =
dL dt

r The direction of the torque is perpendicular to L . This torque causes then a change in angular r r r momentum, dL , perpendicular to L . The magnitude of L doesnt change.

r The figure shows that the magnitude of dL is equal to the length of the arc of aperture d :
dL = L sin d where is called the angle of precession. The angular frequency of precession is

P =

d 1 dL 1 mgd mgd = = mgd sin = = dt L sin dt L sin L I

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8 Set up the experiment as shown in the figure. One of the infrared detector arms can be used to time the period of rotation of the gyroscope about its axis of symmetry. Connect the output to the digital counter input labelled E. The other infrared detector arm can be used to time the period of precession of the axis of symmetry. Connect the output to the digital counter input labelled F. The digital counter will give the best results when set to display "PERIOD", and "t", with symbol for two falling edges (_ _) shown next to E and F. To see the results for E or F press the appropriate button. Choose a distance d0 for the gyroscope spindle, as shown in the figure. Now set the gyroscope in motion. A right-handed person should hold the top end of the gyroscope spindle with his or her left hand and repeatedly turn the bearing housing with the right hand so that the gyroscope rotates quickly, but not above 3 Hz. Carefully tilt the gyroscope and release so that precession occurs, but without superimposed gyroscope spindle vibration, as shown in the figure.

Figure: precession of gyroscope. Note that vectors of axis of symmetry a, angular momentum L, and axis of rotation r are all in same direction. Now measure the values of and p. Repeat for a total of at least 3 different values of . Plot your values of p versus 1/ to check the relationship in the equation above. Now change d. Repeat the above procedure for a total 6 different values of d between -5cm and +5cm (3 positive values, and 3 negative values). Plot your values of the product p versus d to check the relationship in the equation above. The gradient of the graph should be equal to mg/I. Compare your gradient with the expected value. (You will need to measure the mass of the gyroscope using a spring balance.)

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9 Section 3. nutation of a gyroscope Nutation occurs when a spinning gyroscope that is balanced at its centre of gravity is given an additional angular momentum. Set up the gyroscope so that it is balanced at its centre of gravity. The spinning gyroscope will not be affected by gravity, and precession will not occur. Set the gyroscope spinning with its axis of rotation vertical. The axis of rotation corresponds with the angular momentum vector, and with the axis of symmetry. Now give the gyroscope additional angular momentum by briefly pushing against the axis of symmetry. This additional angular momentum will give a new angular momentum vector which does not correspond with the axis of symmetry. Although the gyroscope is still spinning with angular frequency , the axis of symmetry is now itself rotating with an angular frequency n, an effect called nutation.

r Figure: nutation of gyroscope. Note that vectors of axis of symmetry a , angular r r momentum L , and axis of rotation r are all in different directions.

The overall axis of rotation corresponds with the total angular momentum vector L2 = (I ) 2+ (In) 2 where I is the moment of inertia of the gyroscope about the axis perpendicular to the axis of symmetry. Make measurements of and n for 3 different values of . What is the relationship between and n?

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