Help explaining physics demonstration

[Cardsfan06]

In my last class the professor had a bike tire with a string attached to its axle. When the tire was hung from the string it sat parallel to the floor; however, when it was spun and hung from the string it remained perpendicular to the floor and rotated around the string. What was it that kept the spinning wheel up?

. . . []. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . []
. . . []. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . []. @
. . . []. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . []. @
. . . []. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . []_@_
. . . .|. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @
@@@@@@. . . . . . . . . . . . . .@
. . . .|. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @

@ = tire
[] = string
| and _ = axle
. . = nothing
tire on right is the one spinning

 

[Mapes]

Its relatively large angular momentum (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyroscope" ).

 

[charng]

The phenomenon you observed in your physics class is known as gyroscopic precession. It is a result of the conservation of angular momentum, which states that an object in motion will continue to rotate in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force.

In this case, the spinning motion of the bike tire creates a gyroscopic effect, where the rotating mass of the tire creates a force that resists any change in its orientation. As a result, when the tire is hung from the string and spun, the force of the spinning tire keeps it perpendicular to the floor and causes it to rotate around the string.

This demonstration is commonly used to explain the concept of angular momentum and its effects on rotating objects. It also has practical applications, such as in the stability of gyroscopes used in navigation systems and in the design of bicycles and motorcycles.