Spinning top
device · 3500 BC · Stone Age
A toy kept stable by its rotation.
What it is made of
- Spinning top body — has part. A massive body of revolution.
- Sharp point — has part. A fulcrum.
- Top spindle — has part. A rod for spinning it up.
Principles and materials it uses
- Angular momentum — uses. A top is stable while it spins.
- Wood — is made of. Tops were carved from wood.
- Clay — is made of. Or shaped from clay.
Things built in a similar way
- Gyroscope — works like. A gyroscope is a top in a gimbal.