自由力矩进动

只有移动中的物体可以在自由力矩的进动状态下。例如，一块被抛出的板材，这块板材可能以非对称的轴产生一些自转的运动。如果这个物体不是理想的固体，内部的涡旋倾向抑制自由力矩的进动。

诱导力矩进动

诱导力矩进动（螺旋进动）是当有扭矩时，旋转物体（如陀螺仪）自转轴摆动的现象。这现象通常能在一个抽陀螺上出现，但所有旋转物体都能出现进动。如果旋转速率和扭矩大小皆是衡量时，自转轴会形成圆锥形进动，且任何时刻运动方向都与扭矩方向成直角。在抽陀螺的例子中，如果自转轴不是完全竖直时，扭矩由设法使它翻倒的引力提供。一个滚动的轮子会由于进动而趋向于竖直。当轮子向一边倾斜时，轮顶的粒子被推向一侧，轮底的粒子被推向另一侧。但是，因为轮子在滚动，这些粒子最终会交换位置，互相抵消。进动或回转仪的效果会影响高速行驶（自行车）的性能。进动同时也是旋转罗盘仪背后的机制。

这概念容易通过惯性的效果来理解。惯性经常被陈述成运动物体倾向于保持运动。在这例子中，旋转物体的运动是旋转。如果在一个旋转物体上施加外力，物体会通过推回去抵抗外力，但反应延迟了。

陀螺进动在直升飞机的飞行控制上也起着巨大的作用。由于直升机后尾的驾驶能力来自（旋转着的）螺旋桨，陀螺进动起着作用。如果螺旋桨向前倾斜（为了获得向前的速度），它的逆时针运动需要螺旋桨能通过大概90°（决定于螺旋桨的构造）提供静推力，或者螺旋桨在飞行员的右侧。为了确保飞行员的操作正确，当飞行员把“轮转棒”向前推，或当“轮转棒”被向后拉后，再向左推时，飞机有着能把旋转斜盘倾斜到右侧的的矫正连接。

进动的不利之处在于它能使负荷着巨大扭矩的系结物自己旋松。自行车踏板的曲柄在左手位置是左旋的，因此进动能使它旋紧，而不是旋松。在不怕诱导力矩进动的螺丝出现之前，有些汽车左边的轮子用的也是左旋螺丝。

物理进动

Precession is the resultant of the angular velocity of rotation and the angular velocity produced by the torque. It is an angular velocity about a line which makes an angle with the permanent rotation axis, and this angle lies in a plane at right angles to the plane of the couple producing the torque. The permanent axis must turn towards this line, since the body cannot continue to rotate about any line which is not a principal axis of maximum moment of inertia; that is, the permanent axis turns in a direction at right angles to that in which the torque might be expected to turn it. If the rotating body is symmetrical and its motion unconstrained, and if the torque on the spin axis is at right angles to that axis, the axis of precession will be perpendicular to both the spin axis and torque axis. Under these circumstances the period of precession is given by:

:

In which I<sub>s' is the moment of inertia, Ts' is the period of spin about the spin axis, and ' is the torque. In general the problem is more complicated than this, however.

For a layman’s explanation of Precession: we will have to imagine the wheel of a gyroscope as a group of particles that are being forced to move in circle. Remember the particles want to move in a straight line. In order for the particles to move in a curved line there must be a force. This force is provided by the structure of the wheel holding the particles within the wheel.

Now let’s see what happens to our accelerating particles when a torque is applied to the spinning wheel. Assume the axis of rotation created by the torque is through the center of the wheel at 90 degrees to the primary rotation of the wheel. Let’s look at a particle that is on this axis of rotation. Since the particle is on the axis of rotation there is no direct motion applied to the particle at the instant of the applied torque. But let’s look at what will need to happen at the next moment in time. The particle is now going to be forced to curve again. This time in the direction of the curve so as to accommodate the tilt of the wheel. Now we have a particle that is already moving and it wants to keep moving in a straight line. So the particle will exert a force on the wheel. If you look at a particle on the other side of the wheel you will see that the force of the second particle is in the opposite direction of the first particle. That pair of unmatched forces is what causes the precession torque that is 90 degrees to the applied torque.</sub>