Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / Paper 2 / Section B / B6 / a / Solution

For torque-free precession of a symmetric top, take principal moments of inertia $I_1=I_2=I_{\perp }$ and $I_3=I_{\parallel }$, with no external torque. In an inertial frame moving with its centre of mass, its angular momentum $\mathbf{L}$ is constant in an inertial frame, and its rotational kinetic energy is conserved.

In the principal body axes, Euler equations for a torque-free rigid body reduce toTherefore ${\omega }_3$ is constant andThus the transverse angular velocity rotates uniformly in the body frame; its signed rate reverses between oblate and prolate inertia tensors. This body-frame wobble rate should be distinguished from the space-frame precession of the symmetry axis.

Let ${\mathbf{e}}_3$ be the body's symmetry axis. Sinceits angle $\theta$ to $\mathbf{L}$ is constant, with $\cos \theta =I_{\parallel }{\omega }_3/L$, andHence the symmetry axis describes a cone about fixed $\mathbf{L}$ at the space-frame precession rateThere is no nutation of this angle for torque-free motion of an exactly symmetric top. In the usual Euler angles, ${\omega }_3=\dot{\psi }+\dot{\varphi }\cos \theta$, so $\dot{\psi }=-{\Omega }_b$. Both rates describe the same motion in different axes. A freely tossed axisymmetric disc illustrates the effect; a top supported at a point under gravity is a different, externally torqued problem.