Philip wrote: > Gary, not to worry. I had to think real hard myself, and I still do not > understand the conservation of energy in angular velocity. It's important not to confuse the conservation of energy (CoE) with the conservation of angular momentum (CAM). With two objects rotating relative to each other in contact with friction will slow down until they both have the same angular velocity all the while preserving their angular momentum. But in doing so their kinetic energy will disapate as heat. To consider the CoE you must include this disapation. But if the heat is radiated uniformly it will not affect the angular momentum. > Not many even know what is involved in the precession of a spinning top. Do > a google and you will find pages of math. When they have to do that, I just > instinctfully say, "they don't know. " I would instinctively say "I don't know" until I understand the maths they present. Once I do then I am in a position to agree or disagree with them. > We have an old saying here in Australia. "Bullshit baffles brains." Politics > or science, its all the same. Very true, which is why when making arguments about physics it is best to start with an idealized situation and only consider the complications to it once we can agree on the idealized situation. Regards, Mike.