Gyroscopic Precession is Easier Than You Think!

[@TaylorShawn]

I'm in pilot training, and had trouble understanding this concept. From all the explanations instructors gave me, and all of the training materials, and all of the videos, only your video cleared it up for me. Thank you, really. This is huge.

[@physassist2635]

Happy to help and good luck on the rest of flight training! Working toward your private pilot’s license I’m guessing?

[@radical5908]

completely true.

[@彡彡-g3l]

I didn't get it yet

[@cdmChase1]

Look how flat the earth is.

[@noahpfeifer6931]

I`m in pilot training as well and came here to finally understand what gyroscopic precession is.

[@peteredhouse7502]

I don't know how many years I've been trying to understand precession. But after watching this for 5 min I finally have! Thank you.

[@itsfrank5412]

I've watched many videos on this topic. This video should be highlighted in the search results for gyroscopic precession. Hats off to you sir.

[@mynoghra1849]

I spent so long trying to understand this concept. By the power of Veritasium, The physics girl, and your video, I finally understand precession! Thank you so much :D

[@parth7300]

Definitely one of the best videos made on this topic . I tried self studying this topic and understood it about 70% . Mainly i wasnt able to build intuition for it , but this video helped a ton . Thanks

[@Accusedbold]

Best explanation of Gyroscopic Precession I've heard yet.

[@physassist2635]

Thanks! I’m happy this was helpful :)

[@ilyashick3178]

Bunch of videos like this one never ever have been close to understanding all gyro staff, gave me a clear direction how to this staff works . Brilliant and so helpful not to use apps just an imagination by pencil and paper . Go again to try not start the examples, sir.

[@austinno.1]

The thumb trick is quite nice and easy to represent. I took physics freshman year of high school and didn’t have the prerequisites of trig so I didn’t understand half of what was taught. It might be nice to have explained some of the basic terms. It took some time for me to understand why the torque force was perpendicular to the rotating force applied to the wheel. Once that was more clear the example/tests in the video were much easier to visualize and play along with.

[@cameronisles4872]

I’ve been watching videos on motorcycle counter steering and this just explained perfectly why it works. Thanks

[@lakshmikpunugu4735]

You have an excellent way of explanation....your video is just a superb explanation on gyroscope motion and precession...you are a wonderfull scientist..The way you explained is the way you understood..just wonderfully.....you solved my confusions....many thanks...kind regards...PLK

[@physassist2635]

Happy to help!

[@maleeshapriyanjana7604]

An amazing video. I was trying to figure this concept for a long time. I was able to understand the concept within this few minutes. Your explanation is excellent. Thank you very much

[@mohitmooli]

The easiest explanation for gyroscopic precession. Thanks a lot for the video.

[@physassist2635]

My pleasure :)

[@MDMAx]

Omg I had so many eureka moments thanks to YOU! Thank you so so so so so much! I'm so glad someone in my past cared enough to heal my stupidity in their future :> May your videos reach millions of views as you are worth it.

[@giacomoburlando7904]

you are a magician man, soo easy to understand, thank you!

[@physassist2635]

I appreciate it! I’m happy this helped :)

[@KenNanthapisal]

Wow! thanks for very clear and simple explanation. The angular momentum is one of top tricky topics in physics. Many people are struggling to understand, including me. Now I get it!

[@physassist2635]

I’m happy this was understandable!

[@aguynamedryan]

You made this concept incredibly clear and I really appreciate it.

[@haroonq7876]

Right. The best explanation so far I saw about the Gyroscopic precession.

[@physassist2635]

I appreciate it 😄 I’m happy to help!

[@yekhantlu786]

My guy deserves a million subscribers. He is way better than the high profile pseudo scientist youtubers.

[@physassist2635]

Thanks ;)

[@aslgurcan741]

I was actually starting to think that I am dumb until I saw this video. This help me so much thank you

[@physassist2635]

Hahaha I’m happy this video cleared things up 😄

[@Benlucky13]

I was having a hard time picturing how it can 'pick' a direction when the 'right hand rule' is completely arbitrary. Seeing it drawn out like this made it so much more clear. As long as you're consistent, even a 'left hand rule' gives the same results. It just visually puts the arrows on opposite sides. The resulting precession is still the exact same direction

[@Slow-Biden9]

For anyone still not understanding - I watched the video by Physics Videos by Eugene Kutoryansky and it all made sense. Think about a Beyblade or Dreidel, or some other spin top toy, the faster you spin the thing, the more it wants to stay upright, and the less it is affected by gravity trying to pull it down, simple enough right? Now apply the same concept to the spinning bike wheel demo. If spun fast enough, the angular momentum will overpower the torquing force of gravity, until it slows down to the point that gravity overpowers the angular momentum. Hope that helps anyone who might still be confused

[@Jmasta7]

Excellent video super clear explanation thank you

[@oculwarrior1706]

My first time trying to understand the mechanics of the gyroscope. This video helped me get there after hitching my thumb in every direction (luckily I wasn't anywhere near any cars). I still think I need to play with actual gyroscope to visualize some of the examples, such as when the angular momentum was pointing upwards; I just couldn't imagine the wheel on a string scenario. Taking from the explanation at the end of the video, I understand that the wheel on a string is not actually a gyroscope but an apparatus that follows gyroscopic rules. So it just won't do for certain examples. EDIT I used the flip-camera method to visualize the angular momentum in the example above, and the wheel practically breaks gravity 😅. It basically backflips in a very gyroscopic way 😒.

[@zitscx886]

Best explanation so far.

[@physassist2635]

Thanks a bunch! :)

[@archercrosley2865]

I was beginning to hate physicists until I saw this video. This is the best explanation so far.

[@physassist2635]

I appreciate it! I’m happy this helped :)

[@kbruin79]

Very clear explanation 👏. Thank you very much!

[@physassist2635]

Happy to help! :)

[@mundymorningreport3137]

It would be nice to take this to the next step. How a spinning object with a slight imbalance will flip 90 deg and spin in a new orientation. The easiest method to determine which direction with an applied torque is a motorcycle that is propely steered with counter steering. if you want to go right, push forward on the right, turning the wheel left,, the bike leans right and the force makes a right turn. This turns so quickly, if you do it on a bicycle, you over-do it and immediately fall down. But the speed of rotation and mass of a motorcycle works to enable controlled steering at speed.

[@physassist2635]

That sounds cool. I was not aware of this phenomenon.

[@peterconnatty8385]

Brilliant, got it at last, thank you

[@azizkash286]

you are an actual genius

[@physassist2635]

Much appreciated!

[@こま実験小僧]

In the experiment ,the gyro effect is the centrifugal force of the arroged motion.

[@david2099ccc]

Thank you so much!!!!

[@danielkarlsson6784]

This was an excellent explanation!

[@physassist2635]

Thanks! I’m glad it helped!

[@multitude1337]

i finally understand! wow, thank you!

[@physassist2635]

I’m happy this was helpful!

[@bikashhandique8797]

Thanks a lot! You made it so clear to understand. Please make more videos. :D

[@physassist2635]

Thanks Bikash! Will do :)

[@Sharmaaman504]

Nice work bro, you are the best.

[@physassist2635]

Thanks a bunch!

[@neerajchauhan2681]

Made my day ❤️

[@physassist2635]

😄

[@innovativehacker3769]

Thanks for sharing such amazing content.

[@physassist2635]

My pleasure!

[@rashwonsingkai7955]

Well explained thank you, but I have a question clicking in my mind. Is there some kind of force produced due to torque acting opposite to gravity that trys to keep the wheel vertical???

[@physassist2635]

There is! It’s the angular momentum vector. It points parallel to the ground. And as long as the wheel keeps spinning, the angular momentum will want to stay rigid, parallel to the ground

[@PERF0RMANCEMUSIC]

@@physassist2635 I'm still puzzled. Everything said in this demo makes sense and is well-explained BUT, while all this is going on, gravity is still 'pulling' (allow me that for simplicity). Is this upwards resistance to gravity equivalent to mass transfer, but cancelled-out?

[@esspe2]

Still unintuitive to me, but at least now I am able to predict how a gyroscope will change its attitude in reaction to a force, thanks!

[@oluwapamilerinsobiyede3846]

A very big Thank you!

[@snzvio4249]

Thank u!

[@donotbebiased6987]

This is good to solve problems. But, i want to know why angular momentum chases torque.

[@physassist2635]

You can think of it as the torque gives the gyro a new angular momentum. When you apply a force to a moving object, you give that object a new momentum in a similar direction as the force. As example, a tennis ball in flight has momentum in some direction. If you apply a force to that flying ball by batting it to the left for instance, you give it a new momentum that will be more or less to the left. That is, the momentum chases the force. Or in other words, the force determines the momentum. Torque in rotational motion is analogous to force in translational motion. And angular momentum in rotational motion is analogous to momentum in translational motion. So in the same sense that force determines momentum for an object in translational motion, torque determines angular momentum in a rotating object.

[@donotbebiased6987]

Sir i m getting ur point and i appreciate ur efforts and respect for ur viewers but i m keen to know the cause u check video by eugene on this concept i didn't get it properly but i think u will understand it

[@jyothilaxmi9942]

This comment is more understandable than whole video for me

[@mukultiwari3988]

Angular momentum does not chase torque rather torque leads the angular momentum....

[@TheGuyWhoAsked72]

Ok so now I understand how to predict it however why does it torque in that direction and why is the angular momentum in that direction?

[@monilansodariya2850]

Great content🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@monilansodariya2850]

With excellent explanation☺️

[@physassist2635]

Thanks Monil!

[@liangjiarui1241]

Do Torque and angular momentum always in the same direction?

[@physassist2635]

That’s correct. When an object is torqued and let go, it’s angular momentum will be in the direction of the torque

[@SwamiFardeenbittersweets]

It's fine but which torque makes the wheel rotate about the thread?

[@physassist2635]

This would be the torque caused by gravity attempting to tip the wheel over

[@SwamiFardeenbittersweets]

@@physassist2635 what I actually mean to ask is where is the extra energy of revolution coming from

[@bilgraksangma2023]

went inside my head like a calm river.

[@physassist2635]

😌

[@karanrajdhan9155]

How to find direction of torque is not explained properly.... please make it more clear

[@Stefmovie]

Guau muy bueno me gusta

[@physassist2635]

Gracias 😁

[@AttilaAsztalos]

This is an adequate explanation of how to figure out what a gyro will do in a specific situation. Unfortunately it says exactly nothing about WHY, which one would assume is what most people would like to understand. "Angular momentum follows torque because it just does" is not a particularly enlightening bit of knowledge.

[@alexwest5106]

Nice descriptive video. BUT I'd like to point out that with it, we only have a tool (right-hand-rule) to describe and predict the movement. It doesn't explain the physics at all and anyone, who thinks to understand now, is mislead. So, sorry to disappoint all the euphoric viewers: you/we still have no clue. 😂

[@rudraneelsarkar9825]

I still don't understand why a bi cycle can't stand still at rest but while moving

[@physassist2635]

You can keep your balance while riding a bike because when you are moving forward, the control inputs you put into the steering handle allows you to easily change your centre of gravity, allowing you to keep your balance. When you are not moving, you can’t readily change your centre of gravity with steering inputs.

[@enbinzheng-line]

Just like how Earth's satellites do not fall onto Earth, because gravity is entirely used for the centripetal force of satellites. A rotating wheel will not fall down. Because all the torque is used for the wheel's Precession.

[@ethanepp849]

I have watched my lecture from a pretty good physics school, the MIT youtube lectures, and several videos and I was still confused about this until now this was an incredible video.

[@physassist2635]

Thanks! I’m happy this helped :)

[@lezliebeans5639]

I had a really hard time finding an explanation for such behaviour, this video helped me properly understand what actually was going on there. I really hope this channel grows for the sake of all the physics students out there.

[@physassist2635]

Thanks Leslie! I’m glad this video was helpful :)

[@chandanvudala6778]

@@physassist2635 great explaination but a doubt remained in my mind. what is the direction of torque in flying helicopter?

[@AryanBhole563]

Sir, I’ve watched dozens of of videos but nobody explained it as good as you did. Thank you very much for clearing my concept!

[@mowatwattad]

Sameeee

[@jackanderson3284]

Did what my prof couldn't do in a semester in 15mins. Legend

[@armandocastaneda1546]

This video was such a huge help in understanding this concept... it definitely helped me better understand torque better as well. Thank you so much!

[@physassist2635]

You’re welcome! I’m happy this helped :)

[@avaritiabaritia]

Brehhhhhhhhhh. My smol brane finally wrapped itself around this concept. Idek what to tell you. This method of teaching is just wow. Thanks a lot man.

[@physassist2635]

I appreciate it! I’m glad this was helpful :)

[@woodychelton5590]

wow this made perfect sense to me now. I really appreciated how you did a mix of intuitive visual explanations AND used physics vectors and terminology. Very good balance. Also the way you started off small and then worked up to more difficult problems and concluded with the wheel problem framed in a way that allows us to easily apply what we learned earlier in the video. This was masterfully done.

[@jnhrtmn]

This is the contemporary explanation that hasn't faced the paradigm shift yet. Angular momentum does not exist. It is a made-up simplification to make the math easy by using one vector instead of all of the small linear ones. This captures several unrelated effects along with a single simple "CAUSE" that you haven't seen, because the math hides it from you. A right-hand rule and a conservation law are not causal. They are mnemonic devices that help rote memory knuckle draggers regurgitate the chant that goes with the math. They don't understand it, but they teach it, and it gets passed on. When has a crowd EVER been something you could trust?

[@kimosabe5386]

Yhey'll never understand, unless...

[@ASKENG]

This is a really great video. Good to see other physics KZbinrs doing a great job.

[@mikhaildomanov345]

This is actually a bad video (sorry). Work done in vain because torque and angular momentum appear out of the woods and solve everything with the gyroscope (the right hand rule magic). This is not an intuitive ('easier than I might think') explanation. Actually even college books for physics majors (Kleppner/Kolenkow, Ohanian, Young/Freedman) and Walter Lewin fail badly with the gyroscope. A better video is this kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGbFfK14j5yLq68 A proper way to explain the motion of the gyroscope, that is its orbital motion and why it does not fall down while spinning, would be something like to divide a spinning disk into infinitesimal units of volume (mass). Each of these units will have a different linear momentum vector. Each unit (all combined into a rigid body) will experience the effects of the normal force on the pivot, gravity on the center of mass and the centripetal force of the axle. Then I expect there might be a way to paint regions of the spinning disk with different colors to show the effect of these forces on rotation. I expect some day a hero will make such video on KZbin.

[@BBBHHHCCC1]

13:17 Normal People: WTF. Engineers/Physicists: What a sad Lovestory 😂

[@physassist2635]

We’re nerds 😂

[@alllohaaa]

No doubt best explanation. But for me now the main question what is angular momentum on material level, not on the math one? Why rotated object wants to save it's momentum?

[@jeroenkodde2438]

The big thing I do not like about the explanations on the internet is that they blindly assume that the body will just follow its angular momentum. During the precession the body has an angular velocity in the precession axis for which seemingly no torque was applied.

[@otunumanorathna]

Great video, before watching this I wonder how this happens, but while watching solve all the problems that I had before

[@jeffreyarcher3117]

U just saved my day buddy....and the background music is also very very soothing....ty

[@physassist2635]

Haha it’s all about the music ;)

[@MayankGoel447]

I had a hard time understanding this concept before. All thanks to such wonderful video, I'm finally able to understand Gyroscopic Precession!

[@physassist2635]

I’m happy this helped!

[@bhaskarnaithani1662]

I must say this...honesty, your way of explaining the concepts is simply extraordinary. Very nice.

[@physassist2635]

Thank you for the kind words! I’m happy this was helpful :)

[@shyamreza5791]

really love the idea of using lots of examples and ask the viewers to try themselves. It solidifies the understanding. Great work buddy. keep it up

[@physassist2635]

I appreciate that! :)

[@ivarun8kkk]

Thank You for explaining,Your video help me alot to understand well.

[@sayyamMehmood]

This video should be the default and only google result for gyro precession explanation.

[@pinkfloydcu]

The best explaining the gyroscope video I have ever seen in youtube. Thanks bro

[@BrooklineElectric]

When riding an electric unicycle the wheel is rotating in the forward direction so the cyclic precession causes the wheel to turn left when the wheel is leaned to the left. This is why it’s easier to turn left and harder to turn right on an electric unicycle.

[@willest8480]

Amazing video for understanding the principle of the right hand rule.

[@SkpalTube]

I was looking for a more intuitive explanation. Thanks, anyway.

[@jakezhenry007]

Thank you sir that was much needed help.❤️🙏🏽😊

[@MohamedIbrahim-ej6wb]

Best video explaining this experiment. Thanks

[@alaintownsend7303]

This is the best description of the precession effect I have found. All Paramotoring pilots will find it very helpful! Thank you.

[@0ZombieGodd0]

Someone please help me understand 6:15. The torque. I don't understand how in that diagram, the arrow points towards me instead of up. I try using the right hand rule and just mess it up. I just don't understand how I am supposed to curl my fingers to get the direction of the torque.

[@physassist2635]

When you grab the handlebars and pull the right side up and the left side down, it will rotate counter-clockwise. So curl your fingers counter-clockwise and your thumb will point toward you.

[@drerbrerard130]

What I have trouble understanding is where the torque force is coming from. Why is it always in the right-handed direction, never a left? It still seems to me there shouldn't be any force on that axis in either direction.

[@physassist2635]

The torque comes from grabbing the handle bars with your hands and twisting it in a certain direction. In the case of the wheel balancing in the string, the torque comes from gravity. You can think of gravity grabbing a handle and pulling it down, while the string “pulls” the other handle up.

[@sriram-zn3ic]

The angular momentum follows torque ok so it should rotate in the direction of gravity. How can it rotate in the direction of angular momentum itself. The same right hand rule applies to angular momentum so it should turn in the direction of the curled finger that is along gravity.

[@physassist2635]

Hey. When determining which way the wheel turns, we are looking at the vector (ie the thumb). That’s what determines which way the wheel rotates

[@lettuce8635]

I spent 1.5 hours on youtube trying to figure out precession and this video finally did it for me, THANK YOU

[@jemarcatubig3171]

and this my friends explain motorcycle countersteering

[@cathalkavanagh8783]

Watched a lot of these videos, this was by the far the best explanation. Thanks mate!

[@physassist2635]

I appreciate it! Glad I could help :)

[@karlswanson95]

Best description I have seen. My only question is what makes the right hand rule work?

[@physassist2635]

Convention. In this case, the left hand rule could technically work to my knowledge

[@eyeofkaecilius8611]

Hi. Firstly I like so much this video. Thank you for your clearly explanation. But I’ve a question. If we turn the wheel, wheel doesnt fall and stay angle with 90 degree to rope. But if we didnt, it falls because of the torq. What makes stay with a balance when the wheel turns as a force?

[@physassist2635]

The wheel stays upright when spun because of gyroscopic inertia (aka rigidity in space). As the wheel spins faster and faster it will have a stronger tendency to want to maintain the axis on which it is spinning

[@eyeofkaecilius8611]

@@physassist2635 thank you so much. I do not know how it is called that term (gyroscopic inertia) because ı heard first time in my life because ı am a student in high school. I got it nicely :)

[@stahli3349]

Realy good explanation 👍 thank you so maich

[@rcsarker665]

Thanks. You made it super easy to understand.

[@kedmax1055]

thank you mate, very informative video

[@physassist2635]

I’m happy this was helpful!

[@steadyeddy6526]

NICE explanation. Angular motion can never catch Torque, because they are phase shifted by 90 *. The same phenomenon occurs when a rotor chases a rotating E.M. field in Tesla's polyphase induction motor, and for the same reason. Namely, a 90* phase shift.

[@physassist2635]

That sound really cool! Something I’ll have to look into!

[@steadyeddy6526]

@@physassist2635 The 90* phase shift seems to me to be absolutely fundamental in producing rotation. I just came across a video how the sine and cosine functions of the Unit CIRCLE produce the circle itself, which is not surprising since they are derived from it. Noteworthy, is that the 2 waveforms are phase shifted by 90* ,and are at right angles to each other, and when set in motion produce a circular spin of the Unit CIRCLE. When the 2 waveforms are superimposed into a 3-- D image they map out a spring like form, which next to the PENDULUM is the most common model in describing Simple harmonic motion. Most importantly is that these depictions are just as valid in describing gravity as they are for electromagnetism. This suggests an underlying unity.

[@chadkline4268]

So, if you spin a top fast enough (ccw), why doesn't it float off the table when the angular momentum overcomes the gravitational force? And I guess if you spin a top in the opposite direction (cw), it's trying to drill into the table. I guess this is why screws and drill bits have the directions that they do?

[@physassist2635]

The top would not float off the table because there is no force pushing it upward. The angular momentum vector is an axial vector (not a polar vector as we are used to with things like force or velocity). This means it tells us the axis on which the mass is spinning. It also tells is whether it is spinning cw or ccw through the right hand rule. So an upward pointing angular momentum (axial vector) means that the mass is 1. spinning; and 2. Counter-clockwise. It does not mean there is an upward force.

[@chadkline4268]

@@physassist2635 hmmm. Deep 🤔🙂👍 but momentum is mass x velocity to the best of my memory. I am trying to think how you can have momentum without movement. Really, its mind bending. It was a good explanation but there needs to be arrows put into the video 😁 also, why does the wheel want to go in a circle around the supporting string? And what if the wheel is 45deg with respect to the supporting string when you spin it? Will it want to stand up or will it want to maintain a 45deg angle?

[@BTMECSatyacharanT]

Nice video,helps a lot,i wish you channel gets more and more subscribers....

[@physassist2635]

Means a lot, thank you! :)

[@elektron2kim666]

You achieve "rigidity in space" to have your own x,y,z as much as possible for very practical reasons. Some kind of missing data for flying or general engineering in the past. We have a human sense of it built in, but machines didn't. A computer need an analogue or digital reading from somewhere to do something in that regard. It's quite funny how we reinvent "a body" and such for machine constructs. Well, you will want to fly or something in a safe way. When the air plane is upside, down it's good to know, even for a silly part we don't care about and it got computerized to not forget it. The computer then got what it needed. Now the pilot can also see the info in a fancy way, which is more precise than before.

[@bluekenya4825]

Thanks. Great approach. The purely qualitative approach eliminates the serious confusion most learners and teachers suffer. If I may add, it should be emphasized that the torque of a spinning wheels has a different direction from that of a non-spinning wheel. And for disclosure, I never understood it intuitively despite teaching it many times.

[@Rudolf-b8h]

Thank you so so so so much for going through it like this!!!! I understand it now!

[@physassist2635]

I’m glad this helped! :)

[@BrooklineElectric]

Gyroscopic action does NOT keep a bicycle rider from falling over. The rider turns as necessary to keep the bike wheel centered under the rider. A wheel by it's self is different. No weight to support

[@physassist2635]

Thank you for commenting on my video. It is true that a cyclist does turn the bike as necessary to balance themselves at slower speeds. This is because there is less rigidity when the wheels are slow. At higher speeds, less inputs from the cyclist are needed for balance because the wheels have generated enough rigidity in space.

[@physassist2635]

Hello John. After doing some further research on this, you are in fact correct about this. I’ve just made the edit to the video. It should take a couple hours for the change to be reflected.

[@Babyodarmy]

I feel so dumb because I still don’t understand and everyone in the comments do :’)

[@physassist2635]

Are there any parts I can clarify?

[@sanketjadhav3.14]

Awsome 😍 Keep making videos sir..!