Bicycle Wheel Gyroscope

A spinning bicycle wheel acts as a gyroscope. When you try to tilt the spinning wheel, it resists the change, demonstrating angular momentum and conservation of angular momentum.

1. Attach handles to each side of a bicycle wheel’s axle.
2. Sit on a low-friction stool or chair and hold the wheel by the handles.
3. Have a partner spin the wheel as fast as possible.
4. Lift your feet off the floor and tilt the wheel to one side—the stool will begin to rotate.
5. Tilt the wheel in the opposite direction and notice the stool’s motion.
6. Optional: Mount a screw eye in the handle and hang the spinning wheel from a rope or chain. Release it with the axle horizontal, and watch as the wheel slowly moves in a circle while staying level.

Dramatically Demonstrate Angular Momentum | Deluxe Bicycle Wheel Gyroscope - Arbor Scientific:

Bicycle Wheel Gyroscope - MIT Physics Demo:

📄 Bicycle Wheel Gyro - Exploratorium: https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/bicycle-wheel-gyro

• Try the activity without sitting on a stool—just hold the wheel and feel how it resists tilting.
• Spin the wheel in the opposite direction and compare the results.

• Make sure the stool or chair is stable and won’t tip over.
• Keep fingers away from the spinning spokes (use spoke guards if available).
• Only spin the wheel as fast as can be safely controlled.

• Why does the stool turn when you tilt the spinning wheel? (Because the wheel’s angular momentum changes direction, and conservation of momentum causes the stool to rotate in response.)
• Why is it harder to tilt the wheel when it is spinning than when it is still? (Angular momentum resists changes in direction.)
• How are gyroscopes used in real life? (They are used in spacecraft, airplanes, and smartphones to sense orientation and maintain stability.)