Consider a symmetric top with fixed vertex , axial unit vector , principal moments of inertia , and centre of mass at . Let a force act at , where is the upward vertical unit vector. Together with gravity, it produces torque and potential energy .
The axial angular velocity of a symmetric top , vertical angular momentum and total mechanical energy are conserved. For steady precession, and . Substituting into gives the condition in the title for nonvertical inclination. If the total angular velocity itself is , then , and the condition becomes .
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