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What effect causes wind and water currents to rotate opposite in the northern and southern hemisphere?
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
It's called the Coriolis Force, the effect of living on a rotating sphere.
Imagine you are on the equator. As the Earth rotates daily you are going round 25,000 in 24 hours, so a linear speed of over 1000 mph. On the other hand, at the poles your speed is zero.
If you walk northwards from the equator, your sideways speed soon starts to reduce from its maximum of 1000 mph. Moving from 44 degrees north to 46 degrees north your speed reduces from 749 mph to 724 mph, and this deceleration is produced by a force pushing you to the left as you walk - this is the Coriolis force.
You can generate coriolis forces by riding on a children's roundabout: as you move around you can feel the force pushing you sideways.
It the north and south hemispheres the force acts oppositely.
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
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Which directions do tornadoes spin?
Tornadoes nearly always spin counterclockwise if they are in the northern hemisphere and clockwise if they are in the southern hemisphere.
Does a cyclone move in a counterclockwise motion?
In the Northern Hemisphere, yes. In the Southern Hemisphere, no.
What direction do surface winds circulate in a high pressure system in the northern hemisphere?
They circulate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, and counter clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
Do tornados spin clockwise?
Most tornadoes in the northern hemisphere spin counter clockwise while most in the southern hemisphere spin clockwise.
What direction is the equtor?
From the northern hemisphere you would go south. From the southern hemisphere you would go north.
Which way do currents move in the northern hemisphere southern hemisphere?
Currents in the Northern Hemisphere move in a clockwise direction. Currents in the Southern Hemisphere move in a counter clockwise direction.
Which are cold water currents northern hemisphere or southern hemisphere?
Cold water currents are found in both the northern and southern hemispheres. However, in the northern hemisphere, some well-known cold water currents include the California Current and the Canary Current. In the southern hemisphere, examples include the Benguela Current and the Peru Current.
What hemisphere of the earth experience opposite season?
The Northern and Southern Hemisphere
How do currents in the northern hemisphere differ from the currents in the southern hemisphere?
By the flow of each bed then multiply xyd dhfa
Which way do currents rotate in the southern hemisphere?
The gyres rotate counter clockwise in the southern hemisphere, and clockwise in the northern hemisphere.
How are ocean currents in the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere alike How are they different?
they all alike
The circulation of ocean currents in the Northern Hemisphere is generally?
clockwiseThe circulation of ocean currents in the Southern Hemisphere is generally:counter clockwise
Why are the gyres in the northern hemisphere separate from the gyres in the southern hemisphere?
The Coriolis effect, caused by the Earth's rotation, influences the direction of the currents in each hemisphere. This effect leads to clockwise gyres in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise gyres in the southern hemisphere, creating separate systems due to the opposite directions of motion. The difference in wind patterns and landmass distributions also contribute to the distinct gyres in each hemisphere.
How do winds create currents?
Ocean currents in the northern hemisphere curve to the right and currents in the southern hemisphere curve to the left.Because the Earth rotates, currents do not travel in straightlines.
When it is summer in California.what season is it in Australia?
Winter, because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere and the United States is in the Northern Hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere is always the opposite of the Northern Hemisphere. :)
What is it in the Southern Hemisphere when it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere?
It would be just the opposite - summer.
Are the seasons the same in the north hemisphere as the south hemisphere?
Seasons in the northern hemisphere occur at opposite times to those in the southern hemisphere. For example, when it is winter in the southern hemisphere, it is summer in the northern hemisphere.
