- #1
the4thamigo_uk
- 47
- 0
This relates to a long standing confusion I have had about the Coriolis explanation for cyclones and anticyclones...
The usual 'turntable' demonstration of the Coriolis 'force' is very intuitive. The demonstration relies on the ball/pen/pendulum not having any friction with the turntable and the inertial observer sitting above only sees motion in a straight line.
However, if I could hover above the north pole and look down at the earth, I would see cyclones appearing to move in curved paths on the surface of the earth, even though I am in a non-rotating frame of reference. If the Coriolis effect is only observed 'from' the point of view of the rotating frame of reference, then how come I see the cyclones moving in circles when I am not rotating?
There is something I am missing here in my understanding. Can anyone explain the key to this?
The usual 'turntable' demonstration of the Coriolis 'force' is very intuitive. The demonstration relies on the ball/pen/pendulum not having any friction with the turntable and the inertial observer sitting above only sees motion in a straight line.
However, if I could hover above the north pole and look down at the earth, I would see cyclones appearing to move in curved paths on the surface of the earth, even though I am in a non-rotating frame of reference. If the Coriolis effect is only observed 'from' the point of view of the rotating frame of reference, then how come I see the cyclones moving in circles when I am not rotating?
There is something I am missing here in my understanding. Can anyone explain the key to this?