3 ms·
The gyroscopic effect does not _directly_ make it harder to turn, it causes a reaction force (torque, really) at right angles to the applied force. With two co
by wnoise 16y ago
The gyroscopic effect does not _directly_ make it harder to turn, it causes a reaction force (torque, really) at right angles to the applied force. With two counter-rotating wheels, these reaction forces work against each other.
- hristov 16y agoNo they don't. Any spinning wheel will create a force that tries to preserve its axis of rotation. If you have two counter-spinning wheels that share the same axis and try to tilt them, they will both try to preserve the same axis of rotation and thus exert a force in the same direction.
- wnoise 16y agoHave you done the experiment? "Syd12107" has claimed to in this thread: http://www.physicsforums.com/archive/index.php/t-173215.html http://www.physicsforums.com/archive/index.php/t-173215.html The result was that counter rotating gyroscopes had no net effect. The only thing that matters is total angular momentum. The resistance to being tilted is a _secondary_ effect. The push gets translated into motion at right angles to the push, and this motion gets translated into push at one more right-angle, exactly countering the original push. For two counter-rotating gyroscopes, this first-stage motion of one is exactly countered by the other, leading to no net effect. Really, truly.
- RiderOfGiraffes 16y agoThat exactly matches my experience and calculations.