The Coriolis effect

The Coriolis effect is a force that is found in a rotating object. Due to earth's rotation, the freely moving things in the Northern Hemisphere move towards the right and in the Southern Hemisphere they move towards the left. This is called the Coriolis Effect. This effect is seen on winds, ocean currents and airplanes.

The next video explaines the Coriolis effect.

The French scientist Gaspard Gustave de Coriolis first described the Coriolis effect in 1835 using mathematics.

The Coriolis effect can best be seen in hurricanes. In the northern hemisphere, or part of the earth, they spin clockwise, in the southern hemisphere they spin the other way. This happens because the earth spins on its tilt.

VIDEO: Coriolis effect