Gyroscope
Introduction
• When a body moves along a curved path with a uniform
linear velocity, a force in the direction of centripetal
acceleration (known as centripetal force) has to be applied
externally over the body, so that it moves along the required
curved path. This external force applied is known as active
force.
• When a body, itself, is moving with uniform linear velocity
along a circular path, it is subjected to the centrifugal force
radially outwards. This centrifugal force is called reactive
force. The action of the reactive or centrifugal force is to tilt or
move the body along radially outward direction.
Precessional Angular Motion
• We know that the angular acceleration is the rate of change
of angular velocity with respect to time.
• It is a vector quantity and may be represented by drawing a
vector diagram with the help of right hand screw rule
• Consider a disc, as shown in Fig. 1 (a), revolving or spinning
about the axis OX (known as axis of spin) in anticlockwise
when seen from the front, with an angular velocity w in a
plane at right angles to the paper.
• After a short interval of time dt, let the disc be spinning about
the new axis of spin OX’(at an angle δθ) with an angular
velocity (w + dw). Using the right hand screw rule, initial
angular velocity of the disc (w) is represented by vector ox;
and the final angular velocity of the disc (w + dw) is
represented by vector ox’ as shown in Fig. 1 (b). The vector xx’
represents the change of angular velocity in time δt i.e. the
angular acceleration of the disc. This may be resolved into two
components, one parallel to ox and the other perpendicular
to ox.
Gyroscopic Couple
• Consider a disc spinning with an angular
velocity w rad/s about the axis of spin OX, in
anticlockwise direction when seen from the
front, as shown in Fig. 2 (a).
• Since the plane in which the disc is rotating is
parallel to the plane YOZ, therefore it is called
plane of spinning.
• The plane XOZ is a horizontal plane and the axis
of spin rotates in a plane parallel to the
horizontal plane about an axis OY.
• In other words, the axis of spin is said to be
rotating or processing about an axis OY.
• In other words, the axis of spin is said to be
rotating or processing about an axis OY (which
is perpendicular to both the axes OX and OZ) at
an angular velocity wP rad/s.
• This horizontal plane XOZ is called plane of
precession and OY is the axis of precession.
A uniform disc of diameter 300 mm and of mass 5 kg is mounted on one end of
an arm of length 600 mm. The other end of the arm is free to rotate in a universal
bearing. If the disc rotates about the arm with a speed of 300 r.p.m. clockwise,
looking from the front, with what speed will it precess about the vertical axis?
Given: d = 300 mm or r = 150 mm = 0.15 m ; m = 5 kg ; l = 600 mm = 0.6 m ; N = 300 r.p.m. or w = 2p × 300/60 = 31.42 rad/s
We know that the mass moment of inertia of the disc, about an axis through its centre of gravity and
perpendicular to the plane of disc,
I = m.r2/2 = 5(0.15)2/2 = 0.056 kg-m2
and couple due to mass of disc,
C = m.g.l = 5 × 9.81 × 0.6 = 29.43 N-m
Let wP = Speed of precession.
We know that couple (C),
29.43 = I.w.wP = 0.056 × 31.42 × wP = 1.76 wP
\ wP = 29.43/1.76 = 16.7 rad/s Ans.
Effect of the Gyroscopic Couple on an Aeroplane
• The top and front view of an aeroplane are shown in Fig 3 (a). Let engine or
propeller rotates in the clockwise direction when seen from the rear or tail
end and the aeroplane takes a turn to the left.
An aeroplane makes a complete half circle of 50 metres radius, towards left, when
flying at 200 km per hr. The rotary engine and the propeller of the plane has a
mass of 400 kg and a radius of gyration of 0.3 m. The engine rotates at 2400 r.p.m.
clockwise when viewed from the rear. Find the gyroscopic couple on the aircraft
and state its effect on it.
Given : R = 50 m ; v = 200 km/hr = 55.6 m/s ; m = 400 kg ; k = 0.3 m ; N = 2400 r.p.m. or w = 2p × 2400/60 = 251 rad/s
We know that mass moment of inertia of the engine and the propeller,
I = m.k2 = 400(0.3)2 = 36 kg-m2
and angular velocity of precession,
wP = v/R = 55.6/50 = 1.11 rad/s
We know that gyroscopic couple acting on the aircraft,
C = I. w. wP = 36 × 251.4 × 1.11 = 100 46 N-m
= 10.046 kN-m Ans.
We know that when the aeroplane turns towards left, the effect of the gyroscopic couple is to lift the nose
upwards and tail downwards. Ans.
Effect of the Gyroscopic Couple on an Automobile
A four-wheeled trolley car of mass 2500 kg runs on rails, which are 1.5 m apart and travels
around a curve of 30 m radius at 24 km / hr. The rails are at the same level. Each wheel of the
trolley is 0.75 m in diameter and each of the two axles is driven by a motor running in a
direction opposite to that of the wheels at a speed of five times the speed of rotation of the
wheels. The moment of inertia of each axle with gear and wheels is 18 kg-m2. Each motor with
shaft and gear pinion has a moment of inertia of 12 kg-m2. The centre of gravity of the car is
0.9 m above the rail level. Determine the vertical force exerted by each wheel on the rails
taking into consideration the centrifugal and gyroscopic effects. State the centrifugal and
gyroscopic effects on the trolley.
