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The Physics Teacher -- December 2011 -- Volume 49, Issue 9, pp. 572
Non-Mathematical Explanation of Precession
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Add to FacebookThe phenomenon of precession is necessary to explain the motion of footballs, gyroscopes, tops, the Earth, and many other interesting physical systems, but it was very hard for me to understand as a student and is very difficult to teach to students now. Many explanations of precession in physics textbooks are highly mathematical and hard to understand conceptually. This puts the topic of precession out of reach for many introductory physics students. I hope that this explanation of precession will help teachers and students to understand the phenomenon on a more conceptual level.
© 2011 American Association of Physics Teachers
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- J. Higbie, “Precession of a gyroscope,” Phys. Teach. 18, 210 (March 1980).
Figures (click on thumbnails to view enlargements)
A very well balanced non-spinning top. The top of the bar is given a sharp tap with a hammer to the right, in the positive x-direction. The top of the bar moves to the right in the direction of the impulse.
The axis of a spinning top is given a sharp tap to the right, in the positive x-direction. As a result, the top of the bar now moves into the page, in the negative z-direction, perpendicular to the direction of the impulse.
A spinning top that is leaning to the right. At the moment shown, gravity would tend to pull the top's center of mass downward. The spinning motion of the top causes the top to precess in the counterclockwise direction.
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