Herbie: Demonstration of Gyroscopic Effects by Means of a RC Vehicle

Abstract

Classical mechanics is mainly based on two mechanical principles, the principle of linear momentum (Isaac Newton) and the principle of angular momentum (Leonhard Euler). The principle of angular momentum implies that the time derivative of the angular momentum equals the sum of all torques, acting on the body. Concerning all types of education it is particularly important that theoretical basic principles are profoundly understood. This often enables to understand difficult mechanical systems by drawing parallels between complex mechanical systems and simple basic principles. One way to generate profound understanding of theoretical correlations is to use interesting experimental examples. In this paper, a teaching model is presented, which has the ability both to demonstrate the effects of the principle of angular momentum and to catch the attention of students. For this purpose, a remote-controlled model car was built carrying a high-speed gyroscope on its top. The gyroscope can cause that the car turns over to the inside of a turn against the centrifugal force. Even more, it is possible to drive in a circle on the inner tires of the RC vehicle.