Top
Encyclopedia
A top is a toy
that can be spun on an axis, balancing on a point. This motion is produced in the most simple forms of top by twirling the stem using the fingers. More sophisticated tops are spun by by holding the axis firmly while pulling a string or twisting a stick or pushing an auger
as shown in the pictures on this page. In the kinds with an auger, an internal weight rotates, producing an overall circular motion.
The top is one of the oldest recognizable toys found on archaeological
sites. Spinning tops originated independently in cultures all over the world. Besides toys, tops have also historically been used for gambling
and prophecy
. Some role-playing game
rs still use tops to augment dice
in generating randomized results; it is in this case referred to as a spinner. A thumbtack
may also be made to spin on the same principles.
The action of a top relies on the gyroscopic
effect for its operation. Typically the top will at first wobble until the shape of the tip and its interaction with the surface force it upright. After spinning upright for an extended period, the angular momentum
, and therefore the gyroscopic effect will gradually lessen, leading to ever increasing precession
, finally causing the top to topple in a frequently violent last thrash.
In recent years there have been many developments within the technology of the top. Bearing tops, with a tip that spins, have been one of the biggest changes. In addition, plastic and metal have largely supplanted the use of wood in tops. Fixed tip tops are featured in National Championships in Chico, California and in the World Championships in Orlando, Florida.
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
that can be spun on an axis, balancing on a point. This motion is produced in the most simple forms of top by twirling the stem using the fingers. More sophisticated tops are spun by by holding the axis firmly while pulling a string or twisting a stick or pushing an auger
Auger
An auger is a drilling device, or drill bit, that usually includes a rotating helical screw blade called a "flighting" to act as a screw conveyor to remove the drilled out material...
as shown in the pictures on this page. In the kinds with an auger, an internal weight rotates, producing an overall circular motion.
The top is one of the oldest recognizable toys found on archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
sites. Spinning tops originated independently in cultures all over the world. Besides toys, tops have also historically been used for gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
and prophecy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
. Some role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
rs still use tops to augment dice
Dice
A die is a small throwable object with multiple resting positions, used for generating random numbers...
in generating randomized results; it is in this case referred to as a spinner. A thumbtack
Thumbtack
A drawing pin , thumbtack , or push pin is a short nail or pin with a circular, sometimes domed, head, used to fasten items such as documents to a wall or board for display. Various designs and names are used. They are inserted and removed by hand, hence the terms "thumbtack" and "push pin"...
may also be made to spin on the same principles.
The action of a top relies on the gyroscopic
Gyroscope
A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum. In essence, a mechanical gyroscope is a spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free to take any orientation...
effect for its operation. Typically the top will at first wobble until the shape of the tip and its interaction with the surface force it upright. After spinning upright for an extended period, the angular momentum
Angular momentum
In physics, angular momentum, moment of momentum, or rotational momentum is a conserved vector quantity that can be used to describe the overall state of a physical system...
, and therefore the gyroscopic effect will gradually lessen, leading to ever increasing precession
Precession
Precession is a change in the orientation of the rotation axis of a rotating body. It can be defined as a change in direction of the rotation axis in which the second Euler angle is constant...
, finally causing the top to topple in a frequently violent last thrash.
In recent years there have been many developments within the technology of the top. Bearing tops, with a tip that spins, have been one of the biggest changes. In addition, plastic and metal have largely supplanted the use of wood in tops. Fixed tip tops are featured in National Championships in Chico, California and in the World Championships in Orlando, Florida.
Types of tops
- Battling top
- Battle Strikers
- BeigomaBeigoma-Description:A small but heavy disk shaped toy of approximately 3cm in diameter, it is spun by wrapping a thin 60 cm cord around it, then throwing it while releasing the cord to spin it onto a surface such as matting spread across the top of a barrel. The thrower aims it at another beigoma that is...
- BeybladeBeyblade (toy)Beyblade is a line of high-performance spinning top toys originally developed and manufactured by Takara starting in 2000. Both the toys and their name were inspired by "Beigoma", a traditional spinning top. The introduction of the toy corresponded with the broadcast of the Beyblade anime...
- Spin FightersSpin FightersSpin Fighters were metal top toys that were made in the early 1990s. They came in two colors, black and gold. These tops were also printed with characters from TV shows or cartoon characters. The black top usually stood for the bad character and the gold top was for the good character...
- SpinjaSpinjaSpinjas is a ratcheted spinning top game created by Tomy and distributed in North America by Parker Brothers in the late 1980s. The game set was sold as a Battle Stadium plastic arena with two Power Winder launchers and two Spinja characters enclosed within the arena, which doubles as a storage case...
- DreidelDreidelA dreidel is a four-sided spinning top, played with during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.Each side of the dreidel bears a letter of the Hebrew alphabet:נ ,ג ,ה ,ש ,...
(also spelled "dradel", "dreidl", or "dreydl") - Flaming top
- Gaming topGaming topBambaram /Lattu لٹو or spinning tops are used to play games in India and Pakistan. Skill and interest in this game is reducing due to other interests taking priority and also due to unsafe nails along with bullying of younger, smaller, poorer kids. This game is more popular among boys and is...
- Gasing jantung
- Gasing leper
- Humming top
- Floating topLevitronLevitron is a brand of levitating toys and gifts in science and educational markets marketed by Creative Gifts Inc. and Fascination Toys & Gifts. The Levitron top device is a commercial toy that displays the phenomenon known as spin stabilized magnetic levitation...
- Perinola, a six-sided top, very similar to the dreidel, that is used for a similar game in Latin AmericaLatin AmericaLatin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. - SpinjaSpinjaSpinjas is a ratcheted spinning top game created by Tomy and distributed in North America by Parker Brothers in the late 1980s. The game set was sold as a Battle Stadium plastic arena with two Power Winder launchers and two Spinja characters enclosed within the arena, which doubles as a storage case...
- Tippe topTippe topA tippe top is a kind of top. When a tippe top is spun at a high angular velocity, its handle slowly tilts downwards more and more until it lifts the body of the top off the ground with the stem pointing downward...
- TrompoTrompoA Trompo or Whipping Top is a toy popular in Latin America much like a top. Its name can vary between countries. In Spain it is known as "peonza" or "trompo"...
, Whipping top - Whistling top
- Cracker top
- Peg top
- Ball top
See also
- BauernrouletteBauernrouletteBauernroulette is a game that was apparently invented in Germany, where several companies sell it. The name Bauernroulette indicates it is a "poor man's roulette", since Bauer is German for 'peasant', 'farmer' or 'one of a chiefly European class of agricultural laborers'...
- Gee-haw whammy diddleGee-haw whammy diddleA gee-haw whammy diddle is mechanical toy consisting of two wooden sticks. One has a series of notches cut transversely along its side and a smaller wooden stick or a propeller attached to the end with a nail or pin. This stick is held stationary in one hand with the notches up, and the other...
- GyroscopeGyroscopeA gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum. In essence, a mechanical gyroscope is a spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free to take any orientation...
- LevitronLevitronLevitron is a brand of levitating toys and gifts in science and educational markets marketed by Creative Gifts Inc. and Fascination Toys & Gifts. The Levitron top device is a commercial toy that displays the phenomenon known as spin stabilized magnetic levitation...
- RattlebackRattlebackA rattleback, also known as an "anagyre", "celt", "Celtic stone", "rebellious celt", "rattlerock", "spin bar", "wobble stone" or "wobblestone" and by the product names "ARK," "Bizzaro Swirls," "RATTLEBACKS," "Space Pet" and "Space Toy," is a semi-ellipsoidal top which will spin on its axis in a...
or celt, a top that reverses its spin direction. - The TopThe Top (Kafka)"The Top" is a short story by Franz Kafka, written sometime between 1917 and 1923.-Plot summary:A philosopher believes that he could understand everything in the world if he were to understand a single element in it...
, short story by Franz KafkaFranz KafkaFranz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century... - WizzzerWizzzerThe Wizzzer or Wiz-z-zer was a 70's era gyrostat toy reintroducing the spinning top to modern children. The "twist" was the use of a super-spinning, high-tech bearing, that allowed the top to spin at very high speed and remain standing for a long period of time. This top did not rely on a string...
- Yo-yoYo-yoThe yo-yo in its simplest form is an object consisting of an axle connected to two disks, and a length of twine looped around the axle, similar to a slender spool...