Coriolis effect

In the field of physics and meteorology, the study of the Coriolis effect is very important to better understand what are the forces that intervene in the rotation of the Earth and what effect they produce depending on its location on the planet.

The Coriolis effect is a force that acts on the masses of air and water in our ecosystem , as well as on objects that are thrown on a path by water or by air. This effect also explains the formation and movement of hurricanes, cyclones and tornadoes in the northern and southern hemispheres, helping us to prevent the consequences that these phenomena may have in nature.

What is the Coriolis effect?

The Coriolis effect or Coriolis force consists of a natural phenomenon that occurs due to the rotation of the planet , where objects thrown or projected in a straight direction deviate their trajectory to the left or right depending on the hemisphere in which they are. This explains why the air masses move in one direction creating storms that rotate in one direction in the northern hemisphere and in the opposite direction in the southern hemisphere .

Discoverer

Gaspard-Gustave de Coriolis was the engineer and mathematician who discovered the Coriolis effect . Of French origin, Gaspard-Gustave was born in Paris in 1792.

He was professor of geometric analysis and general mechanics at the Central School of Arts and Manufacturing. In his life he developed many investigations related to the differential equations of rotational motion, mechanical power and kinetic energy . He published many of his articles in the Dictionary of Industry.

Gaspard-Gustave de Coriolis died in Paris, on September 19, 1843.

History of the Coriolis effect

The Coriolis effect was first described in 1835 by the French mathematician and engineer Gaspard-Gustave de Coriolis in his article on the equations of the relative motion of systems of bodies. The Coriolis effect is presented in the article as a centrifugal force of a moving body relative to a rotating reference system. His research is based on the analysis of kinetic potential energy in rotating systems.

The term is present in meteorological and oceanographic literature at the end of the 19th century and in the following 20th century this effect is known as the Coriolis force.

Applications

The Coriolis effect is present in the environment constantly and that is why the knowledge of this force helps us to understand some phenomena of nature . Next, some four cases where this Effect is evidenced will be presented.

• In the ocean , the Coriolis effect works so that the currents are not parallel to the wind but instead make an angle with it.
• As icebergs move , the Coriolis effect directs their trajectory to the right or to the left depending on the hemisphere in which they are.
• In the atmosphere, the Coriolis effect affects the formation of clouds and winds, creating storms.
• The Coriolis force acts on the mass flow meter , a device that measures the mass flow rate of a fluid, creating a force in the tube perpendicular to both directions. This allows vibration and current direction to be measured.

Examples

Next, two examples are presented where evidence of how the Coriolis effect works and its importance can be given. The first is related to ballistics and the second to the direction of the water in the hemispheres and in the Equator .

The Coriolis effect in ballistics

As mentioned above, the Coriolis effect or force acts on moving entities as well as on the masses of water and air that move around the planet. In the field of ballistics, projectiles are also affected by the Coriolis effectdepending on the distance the projectile has to travel to its target. In this sense, if the distances to travel by a bullet are short, the bullet will come out in a straight line and its deviation will not be representative in relation to a projectile fired by a sniper at a distance of one kilometer; or even more so, if we are talking about a missile launched to travel a trajectory of many kilometers before reaching its objective. If this missile is launched from the northern hemisphere, it will tilt to the right and if it is in the southern hemisphere, to the left.

This also happens in aviation . An airplane departing to its destination in a straight line will have its displacement affected by the Coriolis force. In this sense, it has to go from time to time adjusting its course depending on the orientation that this force gives it.

The Coriolis effect in water

The case of water and its way of spinning when falling down a drain is an example of the Coriolis effect . In the northern hemisphere, the water rotates clockwise and in the southern hemisphere, it rotates counter-clockwise. It is important to mention that the Coriolis effect does not occur on the Equator line and that is why the water at that point descends without turning. It is for this reason that in Ecuador there are no hurricanes or cyclones , because these turns of the masses of water or air do not occur.