Water flows in both directions regardless of hemisphere.
In Physics, there is the Coriolis Effect that describes the flow/movement of water due to a variety of factors, and this is sometimes used to add validity to the myth, but the Coriolis Effect does not occur in small bodies of water such as a sink or toilet. The direction of water flow in a a sink or toilet depends on the direction that the water flows into the sink or toilet -- regardless of hemisphere.
You can test this yourself by pouring a pitcher of water from the left side of a sink and then from the right side, you will see that the water will flow accordingly -- this experiment will have the same result in Sydney, Australia as it will in London, England.
At some point, most of us have heard that water spins down a drain in different directions depending on which hemisphere we happen to be in. The fact is, the Coriolis force (an apparent force as a result of the Earth's spin) has virtually nothing to do with which direction water spins as it empties down a drain. Although this force is "real" and does have an affect on other large, long lived systems that travel great distances (such as hurricanes, high and low pressure systems, and long range artillery shells), water draining from toilets, sinks, and bathtubs are rendered virtually immune from its affects. The Coriolis force is much too weak to have any affect on such small, short lived rotating bodies of water under normal conditions.
It depends what hemisphere your in. If your in the northern hemisphere, 999 out of a 1,000 Tornadoes will spin counter clock wise. In the southern hemisphere 999 out of a 1,000 with spin clock wise. BUT that doesn't mean you will never see a clock or counter clock wise tornado in the same hemispheres. If you get a counter clock wise or clock wise tornado in the opposite hemispheres (which would be rare or... EXTREMELY rare! Which would be 1% of the spin cycle) the normal one will be coupled with the non normal one.
The gradient of a drain is the slope or incline of the drain pipe. It represents the change in elevation of the drain pipe over a certain distance. A steeper gradient indicates a faster flow of water through the drain.
In Earth science, "divide" refers to a ridgeline or elevated feature that separates the direction in which surface water flows. It marks the boundary between drainage basins or watersheds, where water flows on one side of the divide will drain to one basin, and water on the other side will drain to a different basin.
A subterranean river passage can have water flowing in opposite directions due to complex geological formations and varying water sources. This phenomenon can occur when multiple water sources enter the passage at different points, leading to the flow of water in opposite directions within the underground system. Changes in elevation, pressure, and underground water currents can also contribute to this unique flow pattern.
it has nothing to do with the hemispheres, it depends on the shape of the drain. It can go either direction in both hemispheres
In the Southern Hemisphere, water typically drains counterclockwise due to the Coriolis effect.
It is a thing called the Coriolis effect. The Coriolis effect is an observed reversal in spin of "things" like water, storm systems, etc. (Toilets in the Northern Hemisphere spin in the opposite direction of those in the Southern) To better understand this effect, observe global weather patterns. High and Low pressure systems in the Northern hemisphere spin Clockwise and Counterclockwise, respectively. It is the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, because of Earth's direction of rotation. This is the Coriolis Effect.
The direction in which water swirls down a drain is determined by the Coriolis effect, which is caused by the rotation of the Earth. In the Northern Hemisphere, water tends to swirl clockwise due to this effect, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it swirls counterclockwise. However, the Coriolis effect is very weak on small scales, so factors such as the shape of the drain and the way the water enters it can also influence the direction of the swirl.
N. Hemisphere - winds primarily go west to east, and low pressure systems (like hurricanes/tornados) spin counterclockwise (like your drain in your toilet or sink). S. Hemisphere is all the opposite.
Water drains counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect, which is caused by the Earth's rotation. This effect causes moving objects, like water draining from a sink, to deflect to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
Water is more affected by the surface geometry of the fixture than the hemisphere. Snopes gives a nicely detailed explanation at the link below of the urban legend that claims drains drain opposite on different sides of the equator.
Yes, but you can cause it to turn in either direction by stirring the water. Then it will continue to turn on its own. You can also force the water to turn in the opposite direction in either hemisphere by doing the same thing.
No. Not only is the Earth's rotation too weak to affect the direction of water flowing in a drain, tests you can easily perform in a few washrooms will show that water whirlpools both ways depending on the sink's structure, not the hemisphere.
It drains straight... no spinning. I was recently at the equator in Kenya and they had a demo to show this. It was quite intriguing to witness!
"Joy", is pronounced exactly the same in Australia as it is in North America and other English speaking nations. However, in Australia (as in New Zealand), since they are in the Southern Hemisphere, joy circles the drain in a counter-clockwise direction rather than clockwise, as it does in the Northern Hemisphere. This should not affect your experience, even if you thrust your joy straight down the drain thus obviating the intervention of the laws of physics.
There's a theoretical reason why, in a perfect container with perfectly still water, the water would circle the drain in different directions in the northern vs the southern hemisphere. How ever this effect (called the Coriolis effect) is quite small and minor differences in drains and currents in the water probably have a greater influence on the direction of circling the drain.