A bicycle wheel acts lIke a giant gyroscope

In the weightless environment of the space shuttle, the astronauts experimented with a toy gyroscope. Even when an astronaut gave the spinning gyro a shove, the toy’s axle stubbornly resisted changing direction. Any rapidly spinning wheel exhibits this gyroscopic property. A spinning bicycle wheel resists efforts to [...]

Objective:
To demonstrate how elevation in Earth’s atmosphere and gravitational pull are related.

Standards:
Structure of the Earth System (atmospheric composition and properties and different elevations) and Motions and Forces (gravitation properties and the law for predicting its strength).

Materials:
bathroom scale and a tall building with multiple floors.

Procedure:
Have students weigh themselves [...]