This model depicts the motion
of an object sliding on the surface of a smooth sphere whose size
and rotation speed are identical to the Earth. You select the starting
speed and direction of the object and click on the map to see the
trajectory of the object over a week of time. The object is subject
to the Coriolis acceleration, an acceleration caused by the rotating
system of reference.
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Rules to remember for the
Coriolis acceleration are:
- The acceleration is perpendicular to the
object velocity so the acceleration will change only the direction
of the velocity and not its magnitude.
- In the Northern Hemisphere, objects curve to the right
as they travel.
- In the Southern Hemisphere, objects curve to the left as they
travel.
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