The Coriolis force is a pseudo-force that appears in rotating reference frames, such as Earth. It causes moving objects to be deflected from a straight path due to the planet’s rotation.
Although no real force is acting on the object in an inertial frame, an observer on Earth sees the path curve because the frame of reference itself is rotating.
Key characteristics:
- In the Northern Hemisphere, the deflection is to the right of the motion.
- In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s to the left.
- The effect increases with the object’s speed and latitude (strongest at the poles, zero at the equator).
Examples include:
- The rotation of large weather systems like cyclones (spin counterclockwise in the north, clockwise in the south),
- The deflection of trade winds,
- Slight deviation in long-range artillery trajectories.
The Coriolis force is crucial in meteorology, oceanography, and any system where motion occurs over large distances on a rotating planet.