PASCO ME-8960 DEMONSTRATION GYROSCOPE - Manual (Page 17)

13
012-05327B Demonstration Gyroscope
Experiment 2: Counter-rotating Disks
- Demonstration
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
– Gyroscope (ME-8960)
– Accessory Disk and Extra Counterweight (ME-8961)
– Physics String (SE-8050)
Purpose
It is shown that two disks spinning in opposite directions at the same angular speed will not
precess when a torque is applied.
Setup
➀
Remove the screw in the end of the shaft and slide the second disk onto the shaft with the
pulley side facing away from the first disk. Secure the second disk by tightening the screw
in the end of the shaft. See Figure 2.1.
➁
Put the second counterweight on the other end of the shaft and slide the counterweights
until the gyroscope is balanced. Spin the disks and check the balance by seeing if the
gyroscope precesses. If it precesses, the balance needs further adjustment.
➂ Cut two pieces of string, each 1 meter long. Tie one end of each string to the ends of a pen.
The pen will be used to pull the two strings simultaneously. Tie a loop in the other end of
each string to hook over the dowel pins.
➃
To make the direction of rotation more visible to the students, stick a white paper dot on the
edge of each disk.
Figure 2.1: Counter-rotating disks
“A” base
additional rotating disk
(part of ME-8961)
rotating disk (part of
ME-8960)
add-on mass additional 900g
counterweight (part
of ME-8961)
900g counterweight
(part of ME-8960)
90
100
110
120
130
140
80
70
60
50
40
30
ME-8960
DEMONSTRATION GYROSCOPE
CAUTION
MAGNET