[NatureNS] Coriolis force: WAS "flying ants"

References: <b17c41610708280607g1fa30661nce6cd5162732c90a@mail.gmail.com>
From: c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:36:21 -0300
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Hi folks,

On 28-Aug-07, at 10:07 AM, Bruce Stevens wrote:

> Jean et al:
>
>
> They all spiralled in the same direction, too, and I think it was  
> counter clockwise?  Would that be correct in this hemisphere?
>
> The Coriolis force induced by the Earth's rotation, which IS  
> responsible for air currents in the two hemispheres flowing in  
> opposite directions, is orders of magnitude too small to force the  
> direction of rotation of flying ants or the water in toilet bowls.
>
> Wikipedia has a great page explaining the physics behind Coriolis  
> forces:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect
>

It is, indeed, and excellent article. It has a whole section  
pertaining to popular misconceptions with respect to the Coriolis  
force (draining bathtubs, sinks, & toilet, etc.) that clearly  
illustrates why such effects are impossible of the time and spatial  
scales involved. An excellent read!

Cheers!

Chris

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._
Christopher Majka                       <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
Electronic Resources on Coleoptera, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
http://chebucto.ca/Environment/NHR/coleoptera.html

"Whenever I hear of the capture of rare beetles, I feel like
an old warhorse at the sound of a trumpet"  - Charles Darwin
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._


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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi folks,<DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On =
28-Aug-07, at 10:07 AM, Bruce Stevens wrote:</DIV><BR =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite">Jean et =
al:<BR><BR><BR><SPAN class=3D"gmail_quote"></SPAN><DIV><BLOCKQUOTE =
class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, =
204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">They all spiralled =
in the same direction, too, and I think it was counter clockwise?=A0=A0Wou=
ld that be correct in this hemisphere? </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR>The =
Coriolis force induced by the Earth's rotation, which IS responsible for =
air currents in the two hemispheres flowing in opposite directions, is =
orders of magnitude too small to force the direction of rotation of =
flying ants or the water in toilet bowls. <BR><BR>Wikipedia has a great =
page explaining the physics behind Coriolis forces:<BR><BR><A =
href=3D"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect">http://en.wikipedia.=
org/wiki/Coriolis_effect</A><BR =
clear=3D"all"><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV><DIV>It is, indeed, and =
excellent article. It has a whole section pertaining to popular =
misconceptions with respect to the Coriolis force (draining bathtubs, =
sinks, &amp; toilet, etc.) that clearly illustrates why such effects are =
impossible of the time and spatial scales involved. An excellent =
read!</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Cheers!</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Chris</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV> <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px =
0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Times">_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._=
._</FONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT =
face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Times">Christopher Majka =
<SPAN class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =
=A0 =A0 </SPAN>&lt;<A =
href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</A>&gt;</F=
ONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times"=
 size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Times">Electronic Resources on =
Coleoptera, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada</FONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: =
0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Times"><A =
href=3D"http://chebucto.ca/Environment/NHR/coleoptera.html">http://chebuct=
o.ca/Environment/NHR/coleoptera.html</A></FONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: =
0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; min-height: =
14.0px"><BR></P> <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT =
face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Times">"Whenever I hear =
of the capture of rare beetles, I feel like</FONT></P> <P style=3D"margin:=
 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Times">an old warhorse at the sound of a trumpet"<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>- Charles Darwin</FONT></P> =
<P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" =
size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Times">_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._=
._</FONT></P>  </DIV><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>=

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