PASCO ME-8960 DEMONSTRATION GYROSCOPE - Manual (Page 15)

11
012-05327B Demonstration Gyroscope
Alternate Computer Method:
If a computer and Smart Pulley are used, the acceleration of the disk can be obtained by
finding the slope of the velocity vs. time graph.
Measure the Radius
➀
Using calipers, measure the diameter of the pulley about which the thread is wrapped and
calculate the radius. Record the radius in Table 1.2.
Analysis
➀
Using the average time from Table 1.2, calculate the acceleration and record the result in
Table 1.3.
➁
Calculate the rotational inertia:
(a) Subtract the “friction mass” from the hanging mass used to accelerate the disk to
determine the mass, m, to be used in the equations.
(b) Calculate the experimental value of the rotational inertia and record it in Table 1.3.
➂
Using the times for 10 revolutions in Table 1.1, divide by 10 to find the periods. Average
these two periods and calculate the average angular speed (
ω
= 2
π
/T). Record the angular
speed in Table 1.3.
➃ Find the experimental value for the precession rate by dividing the precession time by two
and calculating
Ω
= 2
π
/T. Record in Table 1.3.
➄ Calculate the theoretical value for the precession rate and record in Table 1.3.
➅
Calculate the percent difference between the experimental and theoretical values of the
precession rate.
Friction Mass
Hanging Mass
Height Mass Falls
Radius of Pulley
Times
Average:
Table 1.2 Rotational Inertia Data