Coriolis Effect

Coriolis effect

ALTERNATIVE NAME/S: Coriolis force

DETAILS/DESCRIPTION:

The Coriolis effect describes an inertial force first officially recognized by the French engineer and mathematician Coriolis* in 1835. Using Newton’s second law of motion as a point of reference, Coriolis discovered that an object traveling in a straightforward course within a “rotating frame of reference” (a planet, for instance) would appear to deviate to the right or to the left, depending upon the direction of rotation. In fact, no actual deviation takes place.

This effect is best understood in terms of the rotating Earth. As a sphere spinning upon a central axis, the Earth rotates at differing speeds in different longitudinal areas.

At the planet’s extreme poles there is no rotation speed at all, while at the equator the rotation speed is the highest. The regions between the equator and each pole vary accordingly. If a projectile were shot towards a target at the equator from a fixed point significantly north, the object would appear to swerve significantly to the right. If the object were shot from a southern point, it would appear to swerve to the left. (In fact, the projectile would travel in a straight line). The perceived deviation, termed the “Coriolis effect,” is an irregularity caused by the Coriolis force.

Understanding of the Coriolis force and its resultant effect has many scientific applications. In atmospheric and meteorological studies, the Coriolis effect is seen on weather patterns, winds, and ocean currents.

In astrophysics it is used to gauge the direction and rotation of sunspots and in ballistics it informs the launching and orbiting of satellites and rockets.

ONELINER: Coriolis Effect

OTHER CONNECTIONS: None

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Coriolis Force. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved January 16, 2004, from

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=26730

Mechanics. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved January 16, 2004, from

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=119061

Bad Coriolis. Alistair Fraser’s Bad Meteorolgy Web Site. Retrieved January 16, 2004, from

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