Coreolis effect?

[Omahayank]

My brother doesn't believe the 'Coreolis effect' is a true phenomenon.
SO once and for all. Please, all members, especially those who live or have traveled south of the equator, state here.
Where are/were you? & What direction does/did the water in your draining sink swirl? Clockwise or counterclockwise?
Thanx 4 your help, all !

[Fishing Forum Admin]

LOL just lock him in a dark room till he agrees

[Omahayank]

So...you've met my brother!!??

[baitmaster]

i,m in norfolk

well i don,t no about your water omahayank unless it has magical properties but ours over here seems to go downward from the sink

tightlines
kevin

[Wally Smith]

Greetings Nelson

I have just gone and filled up the washing basin and can confirm that the water, at the southern tip of Africa, swirls in a clockwise rotation.

I certainly hope that this assists you in convicing your brother in explaining the Coreolis effect theory???

cheers

Wally Smith

[Drew]

Hi all,

Having worked in the Southern Hemisphere for many years, I can assure you that the water swirls clockwise.

This was a question that was asked tie and time again everytime I arrived home on holiday, even to this day people ask me the same question.

Cheers

Drew

[Omahayank]

Thanx Wally & Drew. That puts egg on my face, AGAIN!! Who wants to tell their older brother he's right??????
More and more (r@p I learned in school, (100's of) years ago is turning out to be found WRONG.
The Coreolis effect made sense.. ..spin a globe and look straight on at the poles and they go opposite directions.
Add it to the list that makes getting old, B.S. LOL Thanx a lot

[baitcaster]

Hey mate, dont go beating yourself up too much. Just rack it up as an early practice run for senile dementia.

[Omahayank]

Now Wikipedia says you CAN see it...just not necessarily in a tiolet or sink!??!
See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect
I already told my brother he was right!!

[Vagabond]

As a retired oceanographer, I can tell you that although ocean currents are certainly affected, the Coriolis Effect cannot necessarily be seen in a sink or bath - the volume is small and the shape of the bath and plughole sometimes has more effect.

There is a guy in Kenya who lives in a village on the Equator, and who makes a living "demonstrating" the Coriolis Effect.

I have watched him carefully several times (and he also featured in one of Michael Palin's travel series on TV - Pole to Pole I think it was)

This chap pours water into a funnel and lets it settle, then runs the water into a bucket, and the water swirls anticlockwise in the funnel as it runs out.

He then takes the gear twenty yards south, across the Equator, and repeats the process - and the water swirls clockwise.

Now the Coriolis Effect is zero at the Equator (and strongest at the N and S Poles) so the effect must be infinitesimal just a few yards away from the Equator.

There has GOT to be some sort of conjuring trick involved - no way is that a genuine demonstration.

As I said, I watched him carefully several times, but could not spot what he was doing to influence the direction of swirl. He may have slanted the funnel differently, but not enough to notice.

If he is astute enough to make a good living that way, then good luck to him!