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Thread: Gyros vs Brain
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Old 30th May 2002 | 14:48
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Token Bird
 
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 274
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From: Warks
Avrodamo is correct. I can't explain it any better. However, Gin Slinger is incorrect when he says that horizontal axis gyros can't topple. It is true that vertical axis gyros can't drift - they can only topple, but horizontal axis gyros can both topple and drift.

After all, if you take a vertical axis gyro and topple it 90 degrees, it is now in effect a horizontal axis gyro. However, it won't stop toppling, it will keep going, eventually passing the position it was orginally in. Hence logically a horizontal axis gyro can topple.

As Avrodamo correctly pointed out though, a horizontal axis gyro at the equator aligned North-South will not topple, but it is worth pointing out, if the same gyro was aligned east-west, it would topple.

Quick summary then:

Vertical axis gyros:

Pole: No drift and no topple
Equator: No drift and maximum topple

Horizontal axis gyros:

Pole: Maximum drift and no topple
Equator: (aligned North-South) No drift and no topple
(aligned East-West) No drift and maximum topple

TB
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