Re: Spinning Class Ring

[Brian Whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 11:47 AM 5/6/02, you wrote:
> A student asked me a question that I have heard before, but I don't know a
> good answer.  If you spin a class ring on a table top, it spins around so
> that the heavy part (the front of the ring) always moves up to a position
> furthest above the tabletop.  It doesn't matter if the heavy part of the
> ring starts at the bottom or at the top.  The student and I wonder why this
> happens.


There was a recent paper published on the spinning hard boiled egg
from some Oxford people: the detail is quite intimidating.
I seem to remember it was reported on a list or in New Scientist.

If no one else gives a proper reference, I will follow up.




Brian Whatcott
  Altus OK                      Eureka!