Gyroscope

Introduction: I’m going to show the conservation of angular momentum using a gyroscope. I will show how when it’s not moving it cannot defy gravity and therefore isn't showing the conservation of angular momentum. Also I will show how when it is spinning and is in motion that it does defy gravity and this proves the gyroscope shows the conservation of angular momentum.

Materials:

· Gyroscope and its RPM Cord Strap

· Tiny cone

· Pen

· String

Procedure: If you use the black and green gyroscope like I am, then you can use these objects: the tiny black cone, the RPM Cord Strap, and a piece of string. You put the strap through the hole and then pull it back out which causes it to spin really fast. Then you put the gyroscope on the first object: the cone and let it spin. You do the same for the pen and the string and you'll see that it is defying gravity until it falls down when it stops spinning. If you are using the yellow and gray gyroscope then you put string into the hole and wrap the string around the inner pole of the gyroscope. After it is wrapped you pull on the string which unwraps from the gyroscope causing the gyroscope to spin really fast. It has motion, it defies gravity, and it has angular momentum.

Scientific Principle: The gyroscope will be showing the conservation of angular momentum. When the gyroscope is still it shows no conservation of angular momentum and it isn't defying gravity. When the gyroscope is spinning it defies gravity and it shows the conservation of angular momentum. The angular momentum of the gyroscope is its moment of inertia times its angular velocity. When the gyroscope shows motion at a certain point it has angular momentum. The angular momentum of the gyroscope is its mass times its magnitude of velocity times the separation between itself and another object (the cone, the pen, and the string in this situation).

Safety Regulations: Careful not to pull on the string or the cord strap in a way that your finger gets stuck. Your finger will end up getting hurt.