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Thanks to David, Chris, Steve and all on the Coriolis effect! This thread is why I miss naturens, when I have to go off the chatline to catch up on other things (job, children, and volunteer duties). I have been a victim of mis-information for years. When flying over the equator a number of years ago, I spent some time in the washroom, trying to determined the moment when the vortex in the sink would change direction! Thanks to your notes, I have been reading up on this, and as Chris alerted me, the force is so small that it plays no role in determining the direction of rotation of water in a draining sink. The effect is observable however, in long-lasting vortices, hence the air flowing around a hurricane spins counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Now, I must find out about the direction of turning on bindweed plants. Is there a pattern?? Cheers, Joan c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca wrote: > Hi Joan, > > On 23-Jan-07, at 12:09 PM, David & Alison Webster wrote: > >> Joan Czapalay wrote: >> >>> Would it turn counter clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere? Why or >>> why not? Cheers, Joan >>> >> Hi Joan & All, Jan 23, 2007 >> The Coriolis effect is limited to movement in relatively large >> systems so I would not expect any change in direction. > > Dave is correct. The Coriolis force is proportional to the radius of > the rotation of the system in question so it manifests itself in the > movements of huge systems (like the North Atlantic gyre or the > movements of entire weather systems) but is several orders of > magnitude too weak to be detectable in movements of pots or (as the > popular conception has it) in the swirling of water in toilet bowls or > sinks. ;-> > > The Wikipedia has a rather good (although somewhat technical) entry on > the Coriolis Force at: > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect > > Cheers, > > Chris > > _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. > > Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History > > 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3A6 > > (902) 424-6435 Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca > <mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>> > > _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.17.8/648 - Release Date: 1/23/2007 11:04 AM >
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