Asymmetric Heavy Top

t

130.

θ

1

2.55

θ

2

2.

θ

3

3.

d

1

1.

d

2

1.

d

3

1.

γ

1

(0)

0.5

γ

2

(0)

0.5

ω

1

(0)

0.5

ω

2

(0)

0.5

view

γ's

ω's

all

γ

1

γ

2

γ

3

ω

1

ω

2

ω

3

A top is a rigid body moving with one fixed point. It is classified as symmetric when the moments of inertia with respect to the

x

and

y

axes are equal, which produces periodic motion. In the case of an asymmetric top, the motion becomes chaotic. This Demonstration plots the solutions of the six first-order nonlinear differential equations describing the dynamics of an asymmetric top.