1. What is Coriolis Acceleration?

Coriolis acceleration is an apparent acceleration that acts on objects moving within a rotating reference frame. It is responsible for the deflection of moving objects to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Coriolis acceleration formula:

Where:

• \( a_c \) — Coriolis acceleration (m/s²)
• \( \omega \) — Angular velocity of the rotating frame (rad/s)
• \( v \) — Velocity of the moving object (m/s)
• \( \phi \) — Latitude angle (°)

Explanation: The formula calculates the apparent acceleration experienced by objects moving in a rotating reference frame like Earth.

3. Importance of Coriolis Acceleration

Details: Coriolis acceleration is crucial in meteorology for understanding wind patterns, in oceanography for ocean currents, and in ballistics for long-range projectile trajectories.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter angular velocity in rad/s (Earth's rotation is approximately 7.292×10⁻⁵ rad/s), velocity in m/s, and latitude in degrees (-90° to 90°). All values must be valid.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the typical value for Earth's angular velocity?
A: Earth rotates at approximately 7.292×10⁻⁵ radians per second, which is the standard value used for most Earth-based calculations.

Q2: Why does Coriolis acceleration depend on latitude?
A: The sine component in the formula accounts for how the effect varies with latitude, being maximum at the poles and zero at the equator.

Q3: What are practical applications of Coriolis acceleration?
A: Weather systems, ocean currents, flight paths, and long-range artillery trajectories are all affected by Coriolis forces.

Q4: Does Coriolis acceleration affect small-scale movements?
A: For small-scale movements like water draining in a sink, the effect is negligible compared to other forces like initial conditions and container shape.

Q5: How does Coriolis acceleration vary with direction of movement?
A: The acceleration is perpendicular to both the velocity vector and the rotation axis, causing deflection to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern Hemisphere.