Coriolis' Force


Coriolis' force is an "apparent force" that appears when coordinate axes are rotated.

Coriolis' force acts perpendicularly to the direction of an moving object, and is proportionate to the velocity of the object. In the Northern hemisphere, it acts to the right of the object's direction, and in the Southern hemisphere, it acts to the left of the object's direction.

Normally, Coriolis' force is far weaker than gravity, so its vertical effect is rarely dealt with, whereas its horizontal effect is essential to the dynamics of the atmosphere and the oceans. When dealing with the horizontal plane, Coriolis' force is proportionate to sin(x), where x is the latitude of the object. In other words, Coriolis' force is comparatively strong near the North and South Poles, and 0 at the equator.