88K views · 222 reactions | Cube Top: symmetry axes are often...

Maxwell’s Dynamical Top: http://physicstoys.blogspot.com/p/physics-toy-store.html Another demonstration of the strange properties of rotating bodies created by the great physicist James Clerk Maxwell. When this massive brass bell-shaped top is spinning an interesting stability can occur- push on the stem with an object (like a pencil) and the top will push back, forcing the stem against that object, and friction will cause the stem to roll along and trace the edge of the object. In this design t