1. What is Coriolis Acceleration?

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

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 (degrees)

Explanation: The formula calculates the magnitude of the Coriolis acceleration experienced by an object moving in a rotating reference frame, with the sine term accounting for the latitude dependence.

3. Importance of Coriolis Acceleration

Details: Coriolis acceleration is crucial in meteorology for understanding wind patterns, in oceanography for ocean currents, in ballistics for projectile motion, and in various engineering applications involving rotating systems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter angular velocity in rad/s, velocity in m/s, and latitude angle in degrees (-90° to +90°). All values must be valid (angular velocity > 0, velocity > 0, latitude between -90 and 90).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the physical significance of Coriolis acceleration?
A: It represents the apparent deflection of moving objects when viewed from a rotating reference frame, such as the Earth's rotation causing moving air masses to curve.

Q2: Why does latitude affect Coriolis acceleration?
A: The effective component of the Earth's rotation varies with latitude, being maximum at the poles (sin 90° = 1) and zero at the equator (sin 0° = 0).

Q3: What are typical values for Earth's angular velocity?
A: Earth's angular velocity is approximately 7.292 × 10⁻⁵ rad/s, which corresponds to one rotation every 24 hours.

Q4: How does Coriolis acceleration affect weather patterns?
A: It causes moving air masses to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, influencing wind patterns and storm rotation.

Q5: Is Coriolis acceleration significant for everyday objects?
A: For most everyday motions, Coriolis acceleration is negligible, but it becomes significant for large-scale motions like atmospheric systems, ocean currents, and long-range projectiles.