Re: more Japanese gyro-dropping

[William Beaty <billb@eskimo.com>]

On Tue, 30 Sep 1997, LUDWIK KOWALSKI wrote:

> EURECA!
> The terrestial magnetic field is certainly not uniform inside buildings
> with iron pipes, beams and instrument supporting racks. And a current
> loop falling through a non-uniform field will experience a net force
> (in addition to a torque). Thus Gary's "current loop" model can be
> used to explain the weight reduction, at least qualitatively.
>                                                              Ludwik

I wonder why the change in speed only occurred for one direction of
rotation, but not for the other direction, and not for zero rotation.

Also, for the amount of change in distance they are dealing with, maybe
the entire gyroscope, if slightly magnetized, starts rotating into
alignment with the earth's field, which moves their measurement point.


On a similar topic: I'm told that if one drops two small ceramic disk
magnets from atop a ladder, releasing them simultaneously but with one
disk north-face-up and the other disk opposite, they will hit the ground
at audibly different times.  I haven't tried this.  Could be because of
differing rotation from earth's field causing differing air resistance
edge-on versus face-on.  Good for winning bar bets (in bars near large
universities?  ;)   )

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