gyration
physics
Quick Summary
particle motion in Earth's magnetic field
The motion of single particles in Earth's magnetic field may be approximated by the superposition of their gyration about the main field, “bounce” along the field lines, and azimuthal drift in rings around Earth. The trajectories of individual particles in the ring current fill a doughnut-shaped volume of space. The current produced by the particle drift causes a decrease in the surface field (see text).
In physics, gyration refers to the act of moving in a rapid, circular motion around an axis or central point. This motion is synonymous with terms like rotation, spin, and whirling. A key concept related to gyration is precession, which describes a slower gyration of a spinning object's axis as it moves in a cone shape around another line. This phenomenon is observed in spinning bodies, such as a gyroscope, where the disk inside moves in a gyration around an axis.12345
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
