What effect does the earth have on a spinning wheel and what happens to a spinning wheel when it's turned?

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What effect does the earth have on a spinning wheel and what happens to a spinning wheel when it's turned?

2006-12-06 16:59:24 · 2 answers · asked by vijay p 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics

2 answers

The gravitational force of the earth will exert a toque trying to tip the wheel unless the wheel is perfectly horizontal, ie its spin axis is vertical. Because tipping will cause a change in angular momentum the wheel will not tip. But this will cause the wheel to precess or orbit around the vertical. It is too complicated to explain with out pictures. see diagrams and details at
http://www.4physics.com/phy_demo/top/top.html

2006-12-06 19:45:29 · answer #1 · answered by meg 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋

this has several differnt solutions, depending on several things. is the wheel horizontal or vertical? where on the earth is it located?

2006-12-07 01:23:53 · answer #2 · answered by arj7002 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋