Gyroscope Won't Fall
Instead of falling, it slowly turns sideways.
Teaching & key ideas
What you do: Spin it and support it from one end of its axle.
What students see: Instead of falling, it slowly turns sideways.
Why it works: Angular momentum resists changes to the spin axis; gravity causes precession.
Question to ask: Why doesn't it just fall down?
Lesson flow
Predict → demonstrate → observe → briefly explain → ask: Why doesn't it just fall down?