1. What is Coriolis Acceleration?

Coriolis acceleration is an inertial acceleration that acts on objects moving within a rotating reference frame. It is perpendicular to both the angular velocity vector and the velocity vector of the moving object.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Coriolis acceleration formula:

Where:

• \( \vec{a_c} \) — Coriolis acceleration vector (m/s²)
• \( \vec{\Omega} \) — Angular velocity vector (rad/s)
• \( \vec{v} \) — Velocity vector of the moving object (m/s)
• \( \times \) — Cross product operator

Explanation: The negative sign indicates that the Coriolis force acts in the opposite direction to the cross product of angular velocity and linear velocity vectors.

3. Importance of Coriolis Acceleration

Details: Coriolis acceleration is crucial in meteorology (weather patterns), oceanography (ocean currents), ballistics (long-range projectiles), and rotating machinery dynamics.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter angular velocity in rad/s, velocity in m/s, and the angle between vectors in degrees (0-180°). All values must be positive and valid.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the physical significance of Coriolis acceleration?
A: It explains the deflection of moving objects on rotating bodies like Earth, causing winds to curve rather than move in straight lines.

Q2: Why is there a negative sign in the formula?
A: The negative sign indicates that the Coriolis force acts in the direction opposite to the cross product result, maintaining conservation of angular momentum.

Q3: Where is Coriolis acceleration most noticeable?
A: Most significant at large scales (weather systems, ocean currents) and high velocities. Negligible for small-scale, slow-moving objects.

Q4: How does Coriolis effect vary with latitude?
A: Maximum at poles, zero at equator. The effective angular velocity component varies as Ω·sin(latitude).

Q5: Can Coriolis acceleration be felt directly?
A: No, it's a fictitious force apparent only in rotating reference frames. We observe its effects rather than feel the acceleration directly.