Inverting Tops (Set Of 2)

A spinning top is not just a child’s toy. It is also an adult toy, in the sense that it helps to have a PhD in physics to figure out how it works. Besides, some adults DO play with spinning tops . A spinning top is remarkable because it tends to defy gravity while it is spinning. If spun fast enough, a spinning top will rise to a vertical position and happily stay there, despite the fact that it will fall over if it stops spinning. The basic physics behind all these effects is that a torque is required to rotate an object. The torque is equal to the rate of change of angular momentum. There is nothing magic about that. It is the rotational equivalent of what happens when an object accelerates along a straight line. In that case, the force on the object is equal to the rate of change of its momentum. Angular momentum is similar to linear momentum, but it refers to motion in a circular rather than a straight line path.