3 ms·
This must be one of the most misunderstood pieces of popular science. The Coriolis effect is WAY too weak to affect the direction the water is flowing. Typica
by bvandewalle 6y ago
This must be one of the most misunderstood pieces of popular science.
The Coriolis effect is WAY too weak to affect the direction the water is flowing. Typically the way the water moves initially and the shape of the container will have an outsized impact in the final direction.
- kbenson 6y agoI think the issue is between people who interpret the statement as "water is predisposed to drain in a particular direction depending on hemisphere" or as "water will drain in a particular direction depending on hemisphere". Does it have an effect and can it sometimes be seen? Yes. Is it often swamped by other factors and rendered irrelevant? Also yes. That doesn't mean it's false, but it does mean that some statements that rely on it as a factual basis are at best mistaken.
- marcosdumay 6y agoWhen you have a large reservoir with a drain, keep it still, and the water reaches the level where it starts to rotate, the Coriolis effect is the dominant influence. It is something large enough to be plainly visible, but not something that appear on every drain.