toy designed to spin rapidly on the ground, the motion of which causes it to remain precisely balanced on its tip because of its rotational inertia
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A top is a toy that spins rapidly on the ground, and its spinning motion keeps it balanced upright on its tip rather than falling over. It matters because it's a classic example of how rotational physics works in practice—the spinning creates inertia that stabilizes the top, making it a simple yet fascinating demonstration of how motion can defy what seems like it should happen.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
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An assortment of spinning tops
A spinning top, or simply a top, is a toy with a squat body and a sharp point at the bottom, designed to be spun on its vertical axis, balancing on the tip due to the gyroscopic effect.