coriolis force
Học thuậtThân thiện
A pilot must account for the Coriolis force when plotting a long flight path.
Definition
- Noun:
- A fictitious force in physics: The Coriolis force is an apparent force that appears to act on a moving object when it is observed from a rotating frame of reference, such as the Earth. It is not a fundamental force but a result of inertia in a rotating system.
- A deflective effect: It causes moving objects (like air masses, ocean currents, or projectiles) to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
Usage
- The term is used primarily in physics, meteorology, oceanography, and engineering to explain the deflection of moving objects on a rotating planet.
- It is a key concept for understanding large-scale weather patterns, ocean currents, and the flight paths of long-range projectiles.
Examples
- Noun:
- The Coriolis force influences the rotation direction of cyclones.
- Pilots must account for the Coriolis force when plotting transcontinental flights.
- Oceanographers study how the Coriolis force affects major current systems like the Gulf Stream.
Advanced Usage
- "Coriolis effect": Often used interchangeably with "Coriolis force," though the "effect" refers to the observed deflection, while the "force" is the explanatory fictitious force in the equations of motion.
- The Coriolis effect is why hurricanes spin counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
- In rotating reference frames: In physics, the Coriolis force is introduced alongside the centrifugal force to make Newton's laws of motion valid in a non-inertial (rotating) frame.
- To solve the problem from the perspective of the merry-go-round, you must include the Coriolis force in your calculations.
Variants and Related Words
- Coriolis effect (n): The observable deflection of moving objects due to the Earth's rotation.
- The Coriolis effect is minimal at the equator and strongest at the poles.
- Coriolis acceleration (n): The acceleration that gives rise to the apparent Coriolis force.
- Fictitious force / Pseudo force (n): A category of forces, including the Coriolis and centrifugal forces, that appear in accelerating frames of reference.
Synonyms
- Deflective force (contextual): A force that causes a change in direction.
- Apparent force: Emphasizes that it is not a fundamental interaction but an artifact of the chosen frame of reference.
Related Phrases
- Balance with the pressure gradient force: A common phrase in meteorology describing the equilibrium that creates geostrophic wind.
- The geostrophic wind results from a balance between the pressure gradient force and the Coriolis force.
- Negligible Coriolis force: Used when the force's effect is too small to consider, such as for small-scale or short-duration motions.
- For water draining from a sink, the Coriolis force is negligible compared to other factors like the basin's shape.
A pilot must account for the Coriolis force when plotting a long flight path.
Noun
- (physics) a force due to the earth's rotation; acts on a body in motion (airplane or projectile) in a rotating reference frame; in a rotating frame of reference Newton's second law of motion can be made to apply if in addition to the real forces acting on a body a Coriolis force and a centrifugal force are introduced