Problem 11.4.

6
Modeling the Motion of a Top
With Lagranges Equation

nutation
angle

topspinrate

Precession
angle

We need 4 reference frames:

N (nx, ny, nz ): Newtonian

C (cx, cy, cz ): Intermediate reference frame
G (gx, gy, gz ): Gyro reference frame
B (bx, by, bz ): Fixed in the top rotor
 In this problem, write the kinetic energy
of a rigid body rather than a particle.

So we use the rotational form of kinetic energy:

1
Trot= {x2Ix+y2Iy+z2Iz}
2
0 0 0
xzIxzxyIxyyzIyz
 = s g y + c g z g x g z

= g x s g y + c + g z

1 2 1 1
Trot A o A o s Co (c
2 2
)
2
2 2 2
 V = mg l c

1 2 1 1
L
L=TV= A A 2 2
s C(
c
) 2
- mg llc
2 2 2

d L L
0
dt q i q i

Choose Generalized co-ordinates: q1 = ,q2 = q3 =

L
A s c C ( c
2
) mg l s
)(-s

L
A

d L
A
dt
 1 2 1 1
L
L=TV= A A 2 2
s C(
c
) 2
- mg llc
2 2 2
L
0

L
C( c
)

d L d

dt dt

C( c
)
d L L
0
dt q i q i

The first two Equations of Motion are:

A - A s c C s ( c ) mgls
2

d
dt

C( c ) = 0
L
0

L
As2 C( c
)c

d d
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t
d L
As 2

2As c C(-s )( c )
dt

As C(
2Ac c
) s
 d L L
0
dt q i q i

The last Equation of Motion is:

2Ac C ( c ) 0
As
Equations of Motion:

A - A 2 s c C s ( c ) mgls

2Ac C ( c ) 0
As

d
dt

C( c ) = 0