6.3 How does the coriolis effect influence moving objects?

coriolis effect

changes the intended path of a moving body, named after Gaspard Gustave de Coriolis, french engineer who first calculated its influence in 1935

**a fictitious force

• causes moving objects on earth to follow curved paths:

  • north hemisphere: an object will follow a path to the right

  • southern: an object will follow a path left of its intended direction

**acts on all moving objects, but much more pronounced on objects traveling long distances i.e. atmospheric circulation and ocean currents

why does the coriolis effect occur

result of earth’s rotation toward the east, more specifically, the difference in the speed of earth’s rotation at different latitudes causes the coriolis effect. in reality, objects travel along straight-line paths but earth rotates underneath them, making the object’s path appear to curve

changes in the coriolis effect w/ latitude

(1) rotational velocity of points on earth range from 0km/h at poles to <1600km/hr at the equator

(2) rate of change of rotational velocity per degree of latitude increases as the pole is approached from the equator

**max coriolis effect is at the poles, no coriolis effect at the equator

**magnitude of coriolis effect depends on length of time the object is in motion

coriolis effect is caused by the difference in velocity of different latitudes on earth —> no coriolis effect for thos objects moving due east or due west along the equator

Describe the coriolis effect in both the N and S hemisphere.

(1) Northern: everything moves to the right of its intended motion

(2) Southern: everything moves to the left of its intended motion

what is the underlying cause of the coriolis effect?

earth’s rotation to the east

explain how the strength of the coriolis effect changes with latitude

effect is greatest at the poles, with 0 effect at the equator