Aug 22, 2024
Intermedia Axis Theorm (Tennis Racquet Flip)
The intermediate axis theorem is a consequence of Euler's equations for the force-free motion of a rigid body, but it is by no means physically obvious and we don't have an intuitive understanding of the motion of a rigid body with three unequal principle moments of inertia. But we're in good company. For example, John Mallinckrodt (CSU Pomona) relates the story of a student asking Richard Feynman if there is any intuitive way to understand the result; Feynman went into deep thought for about 10 or 15 seconds and answered, "no."
Is there an easy answer to that, sometimes "no" is the answer from a Nobel Laureate.