Coriolis effect (or force)

[dknv]

Has anyone here ever had to do a school science project related to the coriolis effect?

If so - is there an explanation about what happens to a projectile's trajectory if it crosses the equator? Does the trajectory eventually bend back on itself in the appropriate direction for the opposite hemisphere - or would it complete it's original curve?

(I am helping Rachel research this but much of the web-research sites are complicated beyond my reasoning. ) At least I did un-learn something I remember hearing from school, that is, the toilet doesn't necessarily flush in one direction or another depending on if you're here in Reno, or in Sydney Australia!

[JC]

Any deflection should be negligible in reality. Hows that for an engineering answer?

[dknv]

Originally Posted by JC

Any deflection should be negligible in reality. Hows that for an engineering answer?

Well, it's a good answer, and funny since several websites also reference deflection....

So it makes sense if we are talking about the projectile being a missile, or something propelled by its own force. But is deflection still negligible in terms or air/wind or a body of water?

[JC]

http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~d...du/newcor.html

That's a pretty good site even if it is from a bullshit school.

Because the Earth's angular velocity is so small (360 degrees per day, or about 7 x 10-5 radians per second), the Coriolis effect isn't really significant over small distances (As equation 1 shows, high velocity also can make a difference, but for the purposes of this paper small distance-high speed effects will not be considered).

So it depends on how far past the equator you are going and how heavy the object is. Like I said it should be negligible.

[dknv]

Thanks JC! There are some good examples in here.

(I like the line that says "Unfortunately, most of us are not comfortable with angular mechanics...". Is that an understatement or what?! Lucky for the rest of us, a few of you Want to be rocket scientists!)

[Dean]

Originally Posted by dknv

...rocket scientists!

I actually think it is meteorologists that end up dealing with Coriolis the most. It has a significant impact on weather...

[JC]

Originally Posted by Dean

I actually think it is meteorologists that end up dealing with Coriolis the most. It has a significant impact on weather...

Ya, why don't you go ask the weather man at news channel 4 about angular mechanics...

No prob Debbie.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by JC

Ya, why don't you go ask the weather man at news channel 4 about angular mechanics...

No prob Debbie.

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/reso...erstanding.htm

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/...building/65828

[dknv]

Originally Posted by JC

Ya, why don't you go ask the weather man at news channel 4 about angular mechanics...

The 'angular mechanics' concept was what I was referring to in terms of rocket science.

But yeah, the science track that Rachel is working on is weather; and that 2nd link, Dean, may be another useful reference for her so thanks.

One weird thing-in several articles we looked at yesterday, some of them suggest the coriolis effect is counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere, and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Are they confused, or am I?

[Dean]

Originally Posted by dknv

One weird thing-in several articles we looked at yesterday, some of them suggest the coriolis effect is counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere, and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Are they confused, or am I?

Read teh first question in the FAQ...

http://www.ems.psu.edu/~fraser/Bad/B...riolisFAQ.html

[JC]

Originally Posted by Dean

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/reso...erstanding.htm

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/...building/65828

Not a single equation in either link. Applying a concept and understanding its fundamental physics and mechanics are far crys from each other.