Lecture 40 : Gyros and SHM

y
1 2 3

Gyroscopic Motion:
Suppose you have a spinning gyroscope in the configuration shown below:

y R x 0 -R
1 2 3

=t

If the left support is removed, what will happen??

6

4 5

4 5

d2x = 2 x dt 2

L
g pivot support g pivot

k m

Physics 1301: Lecture 40, Pg 1

UIUC

Physics 1301: Lecture 40, Pg 2

Gyroscopic Motion...
Suppose you have a spinning gyroscope in the configuration shown below: If the left support is removed, what will happen? The gyroscope does not fall down!

Gyroscopic Motion...
... instead it precesses around its pivot axis ! This rather odd phenomenon can be understood using the relation between torque and angular momentum.

pivot

pivot

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Gyroscopic Motion...
Initial angular momentum is perpendicular to plane of rotation The magnitude of the torque about the pivot is = mgd. The direction of this torque at the instant shown is out of the slide (using the right hand rule). The change in angular momentum at the instant shown must also be out of the page. Disk rotates about the pivot. If the disk fell there would be a change of angular momentum perpendicular to the plane of rotation (L direction) but no torque in that direction. d Therefore it cant fall!

Gyroscopic Motion...
Consider a view looking down on the gyroscope. The magnitude of the change in angular momentum in a time dt is dL = Ld.

So

dL d =L L dt dt

where is the precession frequency

L(t) dL L d L(t+dt) top view

UIUC Physics 1301: Lecture 40, Pg 6

dL dt

mg

pivot

pivot

UIUC

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Gyroscopic Motion...
So

Hubble Gyroscopes
Three gyroscopes, or gyros, on Hubble are needed for pointing the telescope. By changing the angular momentum (changing the rate of spin) of the gyros, angular momentum can be given to the complete telescope to change its attitude from one target (a star or planet, for example) to another. The control is very precise giving a directional error of less than 0.005 arcsec. This is equivalent to hitting a dime in San Francisco aiming from Los Angeles

dL = L dt

L
mgd I

In this example, = mgd and L = I:

The direction of precession is given by applying the right hand rule to find the direction of and hence of dL/dt. L d

mg

pivot

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NASA

Physics 1301: Lecture 40, Pg 8

Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)

Stretch a mass on a horizontal spring on a frictionless surface. Oscillates back and forth This oscillation is called Simple Harmonic Motion and is the basis of all study of periodic motion.

SHM Dynamics
At any given instant we have k a F = -kx m

F = ma = -kx
and m a = m

d2x dt 2

So:

kx = ma = m
d2x k = x dt 2 m

d x dt 2
a differential equation for x(t)!

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UIUC

Physics 1301: Lecture 40, Pg 10

SHM Dynamics...
d2 x k = x dt 2 m
define

SHM Dynamics...
k m
But... what does angular frequency have to do with moving back & forth in a straight line ?? Same sort of motion as the 1 dimensional projection of motion around a circle!

d2x = 2 x dt 2
Try the solution x = A cos(t)

Where is the angular frequency of motion

2 3

y = R cos = R cos (t)

y
1

y R x 0 -R
1 2 3

dx = A sin ( t ) dt 2 d x = 2 Acos ( t ) = 2 x dt 2
This works, so it must be a solution!
UIUC
Physics 1301: Lecture 40, Pg 11

=t

4 5

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SHM Solution
So

SHM Derivation:
We can write this in a more compact form: x = A cos(t + ) = A cos(t) cos - A sin(t) sin = C cos(t) + B sin(t) (remember from your trig)

d2x = 2 x dt 2
has a solution x = Acos(t) .

Not a unique solution. x = Asin(t) is also a solution. The most general solution is a linear combination of these two solutions!

where C = A cos() and B = A sin() So we can use x = A cos(t + ) as the most general solution! A is called the amplitude of the oscillation (maximum x)

x = Bsin(t)+ Ccos(t)

d2x = 2 Bsin( t ) 2C cos ( t ) = 2 x dt 2

UIUC

dx = Bcos ( t ) C sin( t ) dt

ok

is called the phase of the oscillation ( -t at 1st maximum)

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Physics 1301: Lecture 40, Pg 13

ICQ: SHM
A particle oscillates in the x direction as described by the equation for Simple Harmonic Motion. If the maximum value of x in the motion is increased without changing the other characteristics of the motion does the period of the oscillation (a) increase (b) decrease (c) stay the same

ICQ: SHM
A particle oscillates in the x direction as described by the equation for Simple Harmonic Motion. If the maximum value of x in the motion is increased without changing the other characteristics of the motion does the period of the oscillation (a) increase (b) decrease (c) stay the same

The general equation for SHM is x = A cos(t + ) The maximum value of x is given by the amplitude A The period is 2/

is not changed, the period stays the same

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SHM Solution...
Drawing of A cos(t ) A = amplitude of oscillation T = period (time between maxima) = 2/

SHM Solution...
Drawing of A cos(t + ) is the phase, the amount the oscillation is shifted

T = 2/ A 2 A 2

= t

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SHM Solution...
Drawing of A cos(t - /2)

Homework
Read Fishbane chapter 13 Problems Chapter 13 #12,23

cos(t-/2)=cos(t)cos(-/2)-sin(t)sin(-/2)=sin(t)

= /2 A 2 2

= A sin(t)!
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