How to Use Gyroscopes

Gyroscopes consist of a spinning disk or wheel mounted on gimbals so that its axle is free to keep its original orientation. They commonly serve as toys and are used in a compass. A gyroscopic compass is used in conditions where a magnetic compass is not helpful in determining direction. They are frequently used on satellites, which can't rely on the Earth's magnetic field, and on ships to indicate true north.

Things You'll Need

• Gyroscope
• Mercury
• Tube

Instructions

1. Move the gyroscope so that its axis points east and west and start the gyroscope spinning about its axle. The gimbals will allow the gyroscope to maintain this orientation as the Earth rotates due to a principle known "rigidity in space."

2. Observe the east end of the axle fall and the west end of the axle fall as the Earth rotates. While the axis of the gyroscope appears to rotate, it's actually the Earth that rotates while the gyroscope stays in place.

3. Fill a pair of cylindrical, stainless steel tubes partially with mercury. These tubes are part of an assembly known as a ballistic.

4. Suspend the tubes on horizontal studs that are attached to a bearing on the bottom of the gyroscope case with a link arm. The orientation of these tubes is fixed in relation to the gyroscope's axle so that the mercury tubes will tilt relative to the Earth, just as the gyroscope's axle tilts with respect to the Earth.

5. Use the weight of the mercury to force the axis of the compass to be horizontal with respect to the Earth's surface but able to rotate freely on that plane. Gravity will then apply a torque that will force the gyroscope to assume a 90-degree angle with respect to the torque. This is the point of minimum potential energy for the gyrocompass. The gyrocompass will then be fixed towards the north celestial pole, and can now be used for navigation.

6. Use gyroscopes as an automatic pilot to determine direction in an aircraft. A directional gyroscope detects, as described in Step 4, changes in heading and a vertically-oriented gyroscope detects changes in pitch or roll.

References

• The Everything Development Company.