Spinning eggs--which end will rise?

Details Spinning eggs--which end will rise? Spinning eggs--which end will rise?

2003-10-31

arxiv.org/abs/physics/0310163v1

Physics

Classical Physics

14 pages, 14 figures, to be published in American Journal of Physics

Scientific paper

10.1119/1.1634966

We examine the spinning behavior of egg-shaped axisymmetric bodies whose cross sections are described by several oval curves similar to real eggs with thin and fat ends. We use the gyroscopic balance condition of Moffatt and Shimomura and analyze the slip velocity of the bodies at the point of contact as a function of $\theta$, the angle between the axis of symmetry and the vertical axis, and find the existence of the critical angle $\theta_c$. When the bodies are spun with an initial angle $\theta_{\rm initial}>\theta_c$, $\theta$ will increase to $\pi$, implying that the body will spin at the thin end. Alternatively, if $\theta_{\rm initial}<\theta_c$, then $\theta$ will decrease. For some oval curves, $\theta$ will reduce to 0 and the corresponding bodies will spin at the fat end. For other oval curves, a fixed point at $\theta_f$ is predicted, where $0 <\theta_f< \theta_c$. Then the bodies will spin not at the fat end, but at a new stable point with $\theta_f$. The empirical fact that eggs more often spin at the fat than at the thin end is explained.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Spinning eggs--which end will rise? does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Spinning eggs--which end will rise?, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Spinning eggs--which end will rise? will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-635459