Precession of a Bicycle Wheel Gyroscope Under Gravitational Force

Purpose:

To demonstrate gyroscopic precession and give insight into the vector nature of angular momentum.

Equipment:

Bicycle wheel, buffer wheel.

Procedure:

In each of the lecture halls there is a string which hangs from the ceiling and has a hook attached to its free end. Spin the bicycle wheel up with the buffer wheel and attach the axle of the wheel to the hook on the string. With the axis of the bicycle wheel held horizontal, it is released. The axis remains horizontal while the wheel precesses around a vertical axis.