A gyroscope is
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a rapislyrapidly-spinning symmetrical top usually used to maintain direction or to demonstrate the principles of angular momentum. |
Photo couretesy of Wikimedia Commons |
The pedagical value of the gyroscope lies in its demonstrating the way that the laws of angular momentum and torque violate our naive expectations based upon everyday experience. A gyroscope tipped at an angle will not fall over, but will tend to precess about the vertical axis. Attempts to change the direction of the main axis by hand meet resistance and produce unexpected motions.