> > A spinning top has a separate momentum from the earth. An early proof
> > that the earth turns was made by running a gyroscope for a day. Because
> > of rigidity in space, the gyroscope appeared to turn once around. We
> > know actually that it was the planet that turned and not the gyroscope.
> Also, a note that in airplanes gyros are used as compasses meaning that
> using only motion one can know where north is, and from what Grant has said,
> maybe someone can tie gyros with the aether !!!
You're getting closer. Gyros don't know where north is. That is just a
arbitrary direction.
Imagine that you are sitting in a windowless room. In the center of the
room is a gyroscope. If the room was not moved the gyroscope would
remain steady. If the room is on earth, the gyroscope would turn around
once every 24 hrs. (Actually its the room thats turning around the
gyroscope.) If you want to know where north is you would paint a line
on the floor and have the gyroscope correct itself for the rotation of
the earth. If someone were to turn (or tilt) the room the gyroscope
would appear to turn.
Try this with a bicycle tire:
Grab the hub in both hands and have someone spin the wheel so that the
top of the wheel is turning away from your face.
lift up gently with your right hand. The wheel will react by turning
left. (output is 90' away in the direction of rotation.)
lift up gently with your left hand and the wheel will turn to the right.
pull back with your right hand and push with your left. The bottom of
the wheel will kick out to the right.
Keep this in mind with your experiments. If you plan you inputs your
results will be more predictable.