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Thread: [b]Drainwater rotation Northern vs Southern hemisphere[/b] |
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Thread Status: Active Total posts in this thread: 19
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Drainwater rotation Northern vs Southern hemisphere
----------------------------------------Can Anyone attempt to Prove or Disprove this Statement Does the Coriolis force apply here The water in your sink drains in a clockwise direction. I think it's because of the rotation of the earth.So logically I conclude that in the southern hemisphere it must drain in the opposite direction. There seem to be conflicting opinions on the statements above and below Flush this nonsense down the drain. Don't believe what you hear about Coriolis making the water in a sink or toilet rotate one way as it drains in one hemisphere, the other way in the other hemisphere. The Coriolis force is noticeable only for large-scale motions such as winds. [Edit 3 times, last edit by Former Member at Feb 3, 2005 12:36:41 PM] |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Is the sink level first?
Assuming it is, I think that the effect of gravitational and inertial forces on a level plane on the draining of water is too small to be noticable. It is most probably random, if not, by the design of the sink. However, I never did any research, I'm replying using common sense. Someone with experimental results done across a wide enough range of sinks, liquids and locations can prove me wrong. PS: Try using mercury too.  |
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Dreamshaper
Advanced Cruncher Joined: Jan 8, 2005 Post Count: 96 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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If the Coriolis force is not having an effect, then roughly half the sinks in the Northern Hemisphere would flow one way, the other half, the other way. If most/all sinks are flowing the same way, then some force, presumably Coriolis, is having greater effect than the random factors, like levelness, dents in the sink, etc.
----------------------------------------If they're all the same here, they'll all be opposite "Down Under".
O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams. (Hamlet)"
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
I have been reading this all my life. [Grin] While I have read many explanations, the ones I believe credit the rotation of storms to the coriolis force and the rotation of water in drains to plumbing. Still, that is just my opinion. What strange deities are worshipped by the plumber's guild? What awe inspiring forces are at their command?
Lawrence |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
The divinities of dull dishwater, that's what.
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
I have two toilets. 1 drains clockwise, the other counter clockwise. All the sinks drain clockwise. Mabe one toilet was made south of the border.
We need to hear from some Ausies and South Americans on this one. |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Everything I read indicates that the Coriolis force is only applicable to very large systems such as the weather. I did have fun with this in a bar with some other guys one time. We had a girl convinced that a toilet could not be constructed at the equator as it would not flush and that cruise ships apporaching the equator make announcements that toilets are not to be used until after it has been crossed. Amazing what a bit of alcohol will do -- LOL
----------------------------------------[Edit 1 times, last edit by Former Member at Feb 3, 2005 5:15:22 PM] |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Dave,
Everything I read indicates that the Coriolis force is only applicable to very large systems such as the weather. No questions asked....  ... but..I did "some" field research I filled two sinks in the office with water, watched the first one draining anti clockwise, I stired the second one clockwise and pulled the plug... at the end it rotated anti clockwise.... I discussed it also with some of my collegues, most of them have a uneversty degrees, and they told me it is not proven but ... still if it isn't the Coriolis force what is? BTW housekeeping is not ammused with my "field reseach"  |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Frans --
Here is a web site by a professor at Penn State University. I believe that he is a meteorologist (Penn State has one of the finest schools of meteorology in the US): http://www.ems.psu.edu/~fraser/Bad/BadCoriolis.html I am like you, though -- always thought it was responsible for the way that water drained in sinks. |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Dave Bell, this is a terrific site. So, it is not necessarily the plumbing. It is the way the water swirls as a result of the way the plumbing introduces the water into the bowl, which can be overridden and forced to swirl in the opposite way. A good, clear and complete explanation.
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