Escuela Politécnica Superior

Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica

Machine Mechanics Labs

Lab 1: The gyroscope

 Machine Mechanics Lab
Mechanical Engineering Department

INDEX

1. Objective ............................................................................................................................... 3
2. Equipment ............................................................................................................................. 3
3. Apparatus description ........................................................................................................... 3
3.1. Gyroscope description ...................................................................................................... 3
3.2. Light barrier with counter. ................................................................................................ 4
3.3. Fundamentals .................................................................................................................... 6
3.3.1. Determination of the momentum of inertia of the gyroscope by calculating the
angular acceleration. ................................................................................................................. 6
3.3.2. Determination of the momentum of inertia by measurement of the gyro-
frequency and precession frequency ........................................................................................ 9
4. Experimental procedure...................................................................................................... 11
4.1. Determination of the momentum of inertia of the gyroscope by calculating the
angular acceleration. ............................................................................................................... 11
4.1.1. Direct method ......................................................................................................... 11
4.1.2. Indirect method....................................................................................................... 12
4.2. Determination of the momentum of inertia by measurement of the gyro-frequency
and precession frequency ....................................................................................................... 12
5. Results ................................................................................................................................. 13

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 Machine Mechanics Lab
Mechanical Engineering Department

1. Objective

• Determination of the gyroscope’s momentum of inertia by measurement of the gyro-

frequency, determination of the angular acceleration and precession frequency.
• Investigation of the relationship between precession and gyro-frequency and its
dependence from applied torque.

2. Equipment
The equipment required to carry out the practice is the following:

• Gyroscope.
• Light barrier with Counter.
• Support and slotted weights.
• Stopwatch.
• Tape measure.

3. Apparatus description

3.1. Gyroscope description

The gyroscope consists on a rotating disk, manually actuated, which counts on low
friction bearings that allow for long rotation times (Figure 1). Movement is transmitted
through a cord wound to the disk’s reel. The device is located at a stable plate base: The main
axis around which the ball-bearing-supported disk rotates can be turned around a horizontal
and around a vertical axis. The counterweight is normally positioned on the gyroscopic axis in
such a manner that it exactly compensates the torque that the gyroscopic disk exerts on the
horizontal axis (force-free gyroscope). To generate defined tilting moments, a weight holder
(10 g) and slotted weights are provided. Using the second support rod and the bosshead which
are part of the gyroscope package, the gyroscopic axis can be fixed (cage gyroscope). To do
this, the rod is fixed in the second clamping location on the plate base.

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Mechanical Engineering Department

Figure 1. Representation of the gyroscope.

3.2. Light barrier with counter.

The Light Barrier with Counter combines the characteristics of a precision fork type
light barrier with the function of an electronic timing and counting device. The sensor has two
holes located at the two sides (Figure 2); the hole next to the screen has a light sender, and the
other one has a receiver. This means that an object with an effective diameter of less than d =
1 mm, positioned anywhere in the beam, is sufficient to reliably cut off the light to the
receiver.

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Mechanical Engineering Department

Figura 2. Light barrier.

The light barrier has different threaded holes M6, that allow different mounting
positions of the sensor. For this practice, the sensor must be mounted as in the previous
figure. It also has a selector for four operation modes that are described below:

The light barrier counts the number of light blockages. I.e., in this lab:
Count
the number of turns of the disk (Adimensional).

The time during light blockage duration is measured and displayed.

The duration between two light blockages is measured and

displayed.

Once the desired operation mode is selected, the SET button must be pressed. After
pressing the SET button, three digits are visible, what means that the sensor is ready to take a
measurement. To carry out a new measurement, the SET button must be pressed again.

The light barrier can measure from 0 to 9.999s. It’s important that the student
connects correctly the electric wires; this device has not a Reverse-polarity protection, so it
would be irreversibly damaged in case of mistake. No mobile phones can be used near from
the instrument.

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Mechanical Engineering Department

3.3. Fundamentals

3.3.1. Determination of the momentum of inertia of the

gyroscope by calculating the angular acceleration.

• Direct method:

Consider Fig. 3, where the gyroscope only has one degree of freedom, corresponding
to the disk’s turn. The cord is coiled on the reel with a mass on its extremity. The momentum
of inertia can be calculated from the relationship between the angular velocity variation
(which is its angular acceleration) with the angular velocity ωe just before the mass touches the
ground and the cord is completely out of the reel.

Figure 3. Gyroscope configuration for direct measurement of the momentum of

inertia.

The angular momentum of the rigid solid comes from the following expression:

= (1)

When deriving both members of the preceding equation with respect to the time, we
obtain:

= =
(2)

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Mechanical Engineering Department

The angular acceleration can then be calculated from the acceleration time of the disk,
which is the time from the moment when the disk is freed and the mass touches ground. In
order to do that, the angular velocity of the disk ωe must be measured just after the mass
touches the ground. In conclusion, the angular acceleration will be:

=
∆
(3)
The variation of the rigid solid angular momentum with respect of its mass center is
directly proportional to the sum of external force’s torque:

=
(4)

Substituting expression (3) in (2) and matching with (4) we obtain:

=
∆
(5)

The momentum of the external forces comes from the suspended mass, m, the radius
of the reel, r, and the acceleration of gravity, g:

= (6)

Finally, we obtain the disk’s momentum of inertia:

∆
=
(7)

• Indirect method:

With this method, we don’t make a direct measurement of the angular velocity of the
disk; the free falling time is considered and then related with the height from which the mass
is released.

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Figure 4. Gyroscope configuration for indirect measurement of the momentum of

inertia.

From the previous equations, it is known that the angular acceleration of a free falling
mass can be represented as:

= =
(8)

If the summation of forces acting on the system is obtained, and considering the
directions favorable to the movement as positive, from Newton’s second law we have that the
force originating the disk’s turn is:

= (9)

Where g is gravity, a is the tangential acceleration, the disk experiments a uniformly

accelerated movement, so each point’s position will come from:

1
=
(10)
2

Both the initial position and the angular velocity are zero, so the angular position is
related with the free falling height by:

= (11)

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Where r is the radius of the reel where the cord is coiled. Relating expressions (10 and
(11) we obtain:

2
=
(12)

The tangential acceleration is = . Substituting in the previous equation, we get

the acceleration of the suspended mass:

2
=
(13)

If we introduce equations (9), (12) and (13) in (8), and recalling that the momentum is
∙ r , we get:

2
2
=

Finally, operating on the previous equation, the disk’s momentum of inertia is:

2
!
(14)
=
2

3.3.2. Determination of the momentum of inertia by

measurement of the gyro-frequency and precession
frequency

Consider the gyroscope on Fig. 5, which is suspended and can turn on the three axes. It
is in equilibrium on the horizontal axis by the effect of the counterweight Cp placed on the
extremity opposed to disk G. If the disk is turning at ω, then the angular momentum L,
constant in space and time, would be defined by equation (1).

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Figure 5. Gyroscope with precession.

If a mass is added at a distance R with respect to the point where the three main axes
intersect, a torque τ is exerted, with amount equal to the variation of the angular momentum
with respect to time, and parallel to this last one (equation (4)).

Due to the torque τ influence, after a certain time , the angular momentum L will
start turning an angle " with respect to its initial position, so:

= " (15)

The angle variation " related to time is known as precession “Ω”, so it can be
written:

" 1 1
Ω= = =
(16)

Combining equations (4) and (16), and finding the value of I, we get:

I= (17)
Ω

The previous expression shows the relation between the torque of the suspended
mass m and the product of the velocities and Ω.

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4. Experimental procedure

4.1. Determination of the momentum of inertia of the

gyroscope by calculating the angular acceleration.

4.1.1. Direct method

The gyroscope is fixed with its axis directed horizontally and positioned on the table in
such a way that the drum will project over the edge of the table, as shown in Fig. 4.

Figure 6. Configuration for direct and indirect measurement.

The cord is wound around the 22.5 mm radius drum and the accelerating mass is
fastened to the free end of the cord. Then, the mass is released, and the falling time from the
moment when the gyroscope disk is released until the mass touches the floor is measured with
the stopwatch. Just immediately after the mass touches the ground. The angular velocity must
be determined from the period (the time which the disk takes to complete a turn), measured
with the photoelectric barrier.

Finally, a plot must be made from the generated torque multiplied by the free falling
time of each of the masses, versus the disk’s angular speed, and then the slope (I is calculated).

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4.1.2. Indirect method

The procedure is similar to the previous one, except for the measurement of the disk’s
angular speed, which is not necessary in this case (therefore its indirect character). Before
releasing the mass, the student must measure the height between the mass lower plane and
the ground. The procedure is repeated for different masses at different heights. With the
increasing masses, the height must also be varied (increasing or lowering it), but always with a
minimum difference of 5 cm between heights. The momentum of inertia of equation (14) must
be plot as = %⁄& , where:

2
%=( )
(18)

2
&=
(19)

4.2. Determination of the momentum of inertia by

measurement of the gyro-frequency and precession frequency

The static equilibrium must be reached. In order to get that, the second support rod
and the bosshead must be removed, and the counterweight must be positioned on the
gyroscopic axis in such a manner that it exactly compensates the torque that the gyroscopic
disk exerts on the horizontal axis (we obtain a force-free gyroscope). The cord must be
wounded on the reel, and then pull it with a steady hand movement so the disk starts
spinning. Measure with the photoelectric barrier the turning period of the disk (the switch
must be placed in mode 3 “ ”).

The photoelectric barrier must be placed in order that the piece of paper passes
through it, taking care that neither the paper, nor the disk touches the barrier (Fig. 7).

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Figure 7. Period measurement with the photoelectric barrier.

The additional masses to create precession must be placed on the position shown in
Fig. 1, on the opposite extremity from the disk (270 mm from the intersection of the three
axes). The time needed to achieve half a precession turn must be measured (and then
multiplied by 2). Then the turning period of the disk must be measured again, and calculate
the average with the first measurement. The process must be repeated with increasing
weights.

5. Results

5.1. Determination of momentum of inertia

According to procedures indicated in sections 4.1 and 4.2.

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 Mecánica de Máquinas
Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica

Lab 1: Gyroscope
Lab group
Date and time:
Name and Surname Sign

Students

Evaluation Lab 1: Gyroscope

• Direct method
Slope Average (I)

MOMENTUM OF INERTIA (I) (Kg·m2)

• Indirect method
Slope Average (I)

MOMENTUM OF INERTIA (I) (Kg·m2)

• Determination of the momentum of inertia by measurement of

the gyro-frequency and precession frequency
Slope Average (I)

MOMENTUM OF INERTIA (I) (Kg·m2)

• FINAL MARK
Behavior (max. 1 point)
Direct method (max. 3 points)
Indirect method (max. 3 points)
Precession method (max. 3 points)
TOTAL
Determination of the momentum of inertia of the gyroscope by
calculating the angular acceleration

• Direct method
∆
=

Reel radius (r) (m)

g (m/s2)
Stopwatch precision error (s)
Photoelectric barrier precision error (s)

Free falling time Y axis : X axis: Momentum

∆
Rotation period (T) (s)
Masses (Kg) (∆t) (s)
(photoelectric barrier)
ωe = 2*π/T of inertia (I)
(stopwatch) (Kg·m2/s) (1/s) (Kg·m2)

0,05
0,06
0,07
0,08
0,09
0,1

Gyroscope momentum of inertia-Direct method

1
0,9
0,8
0,7
Eje Y (Kg·m2/s)

0,6
0,5
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0
0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1
Eje X (1/s)

Slope (I) Average (I)

MOMENTUM OF INERTIA (I) (Kg·m2)

 • Indirect method
2
!
=
2

Initial height (h) (m)

Reel radius (r) (m)
g (m/s2)
Stopwatch precision error (s)
Photoelectric barrier precision error (s)

AVERAGE Y AXIS: X AXIS: MOMENTU

*+
FREE FALLING TIME (t) (s)
MASSES HEIGHT FALLING M OF
(Kg) (h) (m) t1 t2 t3 TIME (t) , - -./ + INERTIA (I)
(s) 2
(s /m) (s /m3Kg)
2 (Kg·m2)
0,05
0,06
0,07
0,08
0,09
0,1

Gyroscope momentum of inertia-Indirect method

1
0,9
0,8
0,7
Eje Y (s2/m)

0,6
0,5
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0
0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1
Eje X (s2/m3Kg)

Slope (I) Average (I)

MOMENTUM OF INERTIA (I) (Kg·m2)

 • Determination of the momentum of inertia by measurement of
the gyro-frequency and precession frequency
I=
Ω

Reel radius (r) (m)

Rotation radius (R) (m)
g (m/s2)
Stopwatch precision error (s)
Photoelectric barrier precision error (s)

DISK’S AVERAGE
ANGULAR Y AXIS: X AXIS: MOMENTUM
Ω
MASSES ROTATION DISK’S PRECESSION PRECESSION
VELOCITY =mgR OF INERTIA
(Kg) TIME (s) ROTATION TIME (s) (Ω) (rad/s)
( )(rad/s) (Kg·m2/s2) (rad2/s2) (I) (Kg·m2)
Inicial Final TIME (s)
0,05
0,06
0,07
0,08
0,09
0,1

Gyroscope momentum of inertia-precession method

1
0,9
0,8
0,7
Eje Y (Kg·m2/s2)

0,6
0,5
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0
0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1
Eje X (rad2/s2)

Slope (I) Average (I)

MOMENTUM OF INERTIA (I) (Kg·m2)