people who know stuff about physics

[fadada1]

living here in the northern hemisphere, we see water travel down our drain in a "counter-clockwise" motion - just like a low pressure system. for some reason, however, the laws of physics fail to comply (at times) in my shower. normally water goes down my drain in a healthy swirl to the left - no problems. however, something caught my eye as i looked down (other than the obvious;) ) the other day. the water was, in fact, swirling in a clockwise motion. i only noticed it because my brain registered something "out of the ordinary".

for those that know something about physics, is there a logical explanation to this? it's happened another time or two.

[OCUDad]

You temporarily suspended the de Coriolis forces in your general vicinity.

Paging Ike in 1... 2... 3...

[sooner_born_1960]

From snopes:

Claim: The Coriolis force influences which direction water spirals down drains and toilets in different hemispheres.

Status: False.

[jeremy885]

Didn't the Simpsons explain this when Bart went to Australia?

[OCUDad]

Sorry. I should have included a winkie for the sarcastically-challenged.

[Ike]

The earth reversed it's magnetic field. Doomsday is near.



Just kidding of course.


So the usual argument about which way water swirls down the drain has to do with the fact that the coriolis force is in the opposite direction in the southern hemisphere as it is in the northern hemisphere. This is all true. What nobody really tells you though is that the coriolis force is so damn small that it really doesn't make much of a difference. What makes more of a difference is how the water flows toward the drain in the first place. If your shower is naturally putting water primarily to the left of the drain, the water will swirl in the opposite direction as it would if your shower was putting water predominately to the right of the drain. Same thing with toilets and faucets...


The Coriolis force will have an effect however with respect to hurricanes. hurricanes in the southern hemisphere will rotate in the opposite direction as hurricanes in the northern hemisphere.

[KABOOKIE]

Dynamic pressure >>> coriolis .

[Flagstaffsooner]

As a part time plumber I have another explination. Buildup of not good stuff on one side of your drain pipe.

[Pricetag]

What nobody really tells you though is that the coriolis force is so damn small that it really doesn't make much of a difference.

The Coriolis force will have an effect however with respect to hurricanes. hurricanes in the southern hemisphere will rotate in the opposite direction as hurricanes in the northern hemisphere.
So, it's too small to affect my toilet, but it's big enough to affect hurricanes? I don't get it.

[Flagstaffsooner]

So, it's too small to affect my toilet, but it's big enough to affect hurricanes? I don't get it.Your turds are begger thatn hurricanes.;)

[Pricetag]

Your turds are begger thatn hurricanes.;)
Heh. I guess I need to start naming the flushes. I think I'll dub the next one "Aggie."

[Frozen Sooner]

So, it's too small to affect my toilet, but it's big enough to affect hurricanes? I don't get it.

Small force applied over large area=large effect.

[IB4OU2]

Using a yellow liquid marker highlights the effect.... just ask onetcee.

[TopDawg]

The Coriolis force will have an effect however with respect to hurricanes. hurricanes in the southern hemisphere will rotate in the opposite direction as hurricanes in the northern hemisphere.


This makes me want to see a hurricane on the equator.

[OUWxGuesser]

This should explain all:

http://san.hufs.ac.kr/~gwlee/session4/images/geostrophic_eqn.gif