If it’s true that water at North of equator
Goes down spirally in a plughole clockwise.
And at south of equator opposite way round.
What happens if bath sits direct on the equator? Please advise!
~~~~~*~~~~~
Author notes
I’ll disclose the answer on the last day of the contest.
If you ever happened to visit or live in one of the following countries: Indonesia, Ecuador, northern Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or Kenya, then you can experiment yourself. I know in Kenya at the equator there is a place where they demonstrate the above experiment by stepping over the equator, North or South…
The equator is located at zero degrees latitude. The equator runs through Indonesia, Ecuador, northern Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kenya, among other countries. It is 24,901.55 miles (40,075.16 kilometers) long. On the equator, the sun is directly overhead at noon on the two equinoxes - near March and September 21. The equator divides the planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
(Blurb extracted from the net)
Written February 20th, 2005
In a list
A contest entry
- International Year of Physics 2005 (contest) by MargaretG.
350 points, ended March 14, 2005, 4 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Scientifically speaking by cricketjeff.
300 points, ended August 30, 2007, 8 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 25 of 25
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Nice rhyme
But unfortunately unless your sink is about a mile or more across, and not affected by any local influence the tendency to turn clockwise or anticlockwise is totally swamped, so I can rule it out as a winner on those grounds... -
Interesting... I never thought of it! A very amusing question to pose in a contest specially suited to this poem.
all the best to you,
Saurabh. -
This is a good question, and a great description of a force in nature. I've commented before; this is a worthy entry to the International Year of Physics contest - applause.
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Thank you very much NoIQ for your valuable comments... I never thought this small riddle will attract so much attention... lol...
you're right about Coriolis force.... this riddle is based on the same principle
As air moves from high to low pressure in the northern hemisphere, it is deflected to the right by the Coriolis force...and at the southern hemisphere, air moving from high to low pressure is deflected to the left by the Coriolis force...
this is one of those riddles like "Why when we boil potatoes they get soft and eggs get hard?" lol...
Thanx for the applauses, yes I did get 'em...
mina
Edited on Mar 08, 2:35 p.m. because ''. -
A very fun poem! Actually, I know the answer to your riddle. The truth is, what you are describing is the Coriolis Effect, and at the equator nothing will happen.
The "demonstrations" you reference made by those who live at the equator forcing water to rotate one way in one hemisphere, the other way in the other hemisphere, are notorious hoaxes. The Discovery Channel has discussed them and even shown one person who apparently even the camera crew said was so good they couldn't tell how he was causing his pan to spin Nonetheless, the Coriolis Effect is noticeable only for large-scale motions such as winds/hurricanes.
There is a vast amount of Web material describing the Coriolis Effect and its related legends. A particularly useful site is the "Bad Coriolis" part of the Bad meteorology Web site of Alistair Fraser of Pennsylvania State University. He provides a "Coriolis FAQ" that provides a wealth of information, and explains why winds move counterclockwise around storms in the Northern Hemisphere while the Coriolis force pushes moving objects to the right, and why it is correct to call it the "Coriolis force," instead of the "Coriolis effect." -
This is very intersting topic..i enjoyed reading it and your comments were very informative as well..thank you for sharing..good luck in the contest
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A physics riddle is a cute idea for children. Riddles are an excellent tool for children to learn information and have fun at the same time.
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Thank you Joe for leting me know about the contest... I've entered just for fun... I hope some other entries win the contest... though I'll try to write another one
... take care..
mina -
Oh dear thats a tough one Mina.Margaret has a physics contest and you sound eminently qualified to walk away with Gold Mina and I wish you the very best luck in advance.Do let me know the answer to the riddle too.
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Never even thought about that - wait whilst I gave a 'ponder' - no sorry don't know. Living in the souther hemisphere (Queensland, Australia) I had lived here many years before I noticed the difference from the UK (brought to my attention by a visitor) so no help from me at all. You set me thinking and saved a brain cell so thank you for that
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very interesting i never thought of that and some of the comments were interesting too i like this sort of thing
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Nice question, I like the way it was expressed in that outstanding poetic form. Great job!
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Hm, that is a good question, I wish I had a good answer
And yes, I know, I'm frm Brazil,but from Rio, very far away from the North
Will you tell us the answer to this riddle later?
Kisses,
Mari
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Thanx wattle... that's briiliant... I shall come back on to this later...lol...
mina -
mina, this is so true. I detect an Engineering brain at work (they seem rather rare around Allpoetry).
My answer: On the equator the shape of the basin and/or the last flick of the wrist makes all the difference.
Also, Tropical Storms (Cyclones, Hurricanes, Typhoons, Monsoons, etc) all follow the same spiral rule, as does the sink. Physic’s wisdom would tell us they couldn’t exist on the equator, or cross it. However there was a severe tropical storm documented near the Philippines in 1897 (I believe), in which many ships were lost. The survivors insist that the storm was spinning the wrong way and must have been formed in the southern hemisphere. Hence, the ships were lost because, in those days, sailors would followed the, old sea dog, right hand rule, which in the case of this storm caused them to sail right into the middle of the storm. They all insisted the left hand rule (used in the southern hemisphere) would have seen them safe.
And; Are you aware that when solders fire artillery the gunnery computer makes an adjustment to the trajectory because without it the projectile will go off target, to the left in the southern hemisphere and to the right in the northern hemisphere; for similar reasons. (Now, I’m sure, I’m letting you know what I once did to earn a living many years ago).
Actually, this is quite in interesting topic, to me: Being a product of the southern hemisphere and having a keen sense of direction. It always fascinates me that whenever I travel ‘up north’ I’m quite sure, in my mind that the sun rises in the west, will set in the east and travel backwards across the northern sky. The experience allows me a small insight into how my partner might read a map and offers directions in the car.
– Thank you.
Edited on Feb 20, 5:25 p.m. because ''. -
Hmm.....
Thanks for sharing that gre8t knowledge!!!!!!
I wish I stayed in one of those places u mentioned to experience the fun u talked about!!!!!
Ur certainlly a good poet!!!!
All the best in AP always!!!!
Take care!!!!
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Thanx Yeah meridian divides E-W...
mina -
LOL.... you really are onto the sciences... first trig then chem now this
! yeah I've thought of things like this especially the grenwhich meridian...
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Neat idea
This is a nice puzzle Mina, and I don't have personal experience to draw on. I suppose that on the midline between clockwise and widdershins there is no circulation at all.
Does the coriolis effect increase as one nears the poles?
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Very clever. What a rare jewel. Very pleased to see this. It sounds romantic - very romantic.
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Confusing but wonderful
Hmm... yea... I have no clue... heh. But this is a VERY intriguing piece. I love it, yet I hate it because now my head hurts =P Anyways, but it's a magnificent riddle. Keep up the confusing, yet excellent, work! -
That was very interesting
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Fascinating
Wow I learn something new every day.. thank you for sharing Helen
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Hmmm....this one is hard!!! Math and Geography make my brain spin like the Earth does on it's axis...lol...this is tough...hmm...maybe the water wont flow up or down at the equator..lol...dono...this one makes me giggle!
char
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