In
this video Laithwaite releases a spinning gyroscope on a long string as
in the following orientation.
It can be seen that the gyroscope
appears to go into a orbit
The gyroscope initially spirals out from the center, when the gyroscope is in maximum orbit the tilt angle is increased from the its initial value.
The gyroscope then spirals inwards
It is possible that the gyroscope was released away from steady state and so some transient motion is observed at first before the gyroscope settles into a steady state orbit. In his demonstration Laithwaite says the gyroscope is liable to get settled into a definite state and disturbs it so it continues to 'orbit' it is possible that the gyroscope had reached a steady state.
It can be seen that the gyroscope
appears to go into a orbit The gyroscope initially spirals out from the center, when the gyroscope is in maximum orbit the tilt angle is increased from the its initial value.
The gyroscope then spirals inwards
Possible explanation for motion
When in steady state the gyroscope will describe a large radius circle.It is possible that the gyroscope was released away from steady state and so some transient motion is observed at first before the gyroscope settles into a steady state orbit. In his demonstration Laithwaite says the gyroscope is liable to get settled into a definite state and disturbs it so it continues to 'orbit' it is possible that the gyroscope had reached a steady state.