http://www.tylerwhitaker.com/2008/05/23/my-attempt-to-find-the-ecuadorian-equator/ Technology, Thoughts, & Opinions Mon, 26 Apr 2010 02:27:18 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.tylerwhitaker.com/2008/05/23/my-attempt-to-find-the-ecuadorian-equator/comment-page-1/#comment-6478 cris Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:17:37 +0000 http://www.tylerwhitaker.com/2008/05/23/my-attempt-to-find-the-ecuadorian-equator/#comment-6478 You should visit the real one, quitsato.org You should visit the real one, quitsato.org

]]> http://www.tylerwhitaker.com/2008/05/23/my-attempt-to-find-the-ecuadorian-equator/comment-page-1/#comment-5767 FER Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:25:46 +0000 http://www.tylerwhitaker.com/2008/05/23/my-attempt-to-find-the-ecuadorian-equator/#comment-5767 Cheryl wondered how they do the trick. It's actually an easy thing to do in a couple of different ways. Unfortunately, the video doesn't show enough to decide among the alternatives. The simplest approach is to angle the stream of water that you use to fill the sink. Aiming slightly left of center will yield a small net clockwise rotation of the water. When it drains out, conservation of angular momentum increases the speed as the water approaches the drain hole. The initial rotation can be quite low. A casual observer would be unlikely to notice a rotation of the water as slow as once per minute, but that would be enough to become amplified into a nice little whirling vortex when it reaches the drain. By comparison, the rotation of the Earth (responsible for the Coriolis acceleration) induces a rotation of only once in 24 hours. This is completely insignificant compared to the residual motions from filling the sink. Also note that near the equator, this Coriolis rotation occurs about an axis which is horizontal while the circulation of a vortex going down a drain is around a vertical axis. So Coriolis has essentially zero effect near the equator. Even in middle to high latitudes, the Coriolis effect is much too weak to influence common sinks and drains. It is, however, critically important in larger systems away from the equator (like tropical cyclones). Cheryl wondered how they do the trick. It’s actually an easy thing to do in a couple of different ways. Unfortunately, the video doesn’t show enough to decide among the alternatives. The simplest approach is to angle the stream of water that you use to fill the sink. Aiming slightly left of center will yield a small net clockwise rotation of the water. When it drains out, conservation of angular momentum increases the speed as the water approaches the drain hole. The initial rotation can be quite low. A casual observer would be unlikely to notice a rotation of the water as slow as once per minute, but that would be enough to become amplified into a nice little whirling vortex when it reaches the drain. By comparison, the rotation of the Earth (responsible for the Coriolis acceleration) induces a rotation of only once in 24 hours. This is completely insignificant compared to the residual motions from filling the sink. Also note that near the equator, this Coriolis rotation occurs about an axis which is horizontal while the circulation of a vortex going down a drain is around a vertical axis. So Coriolis has essentially zero effect near the equator. Even in middle to high latitudes, the Coriolis effect is much too weak to influence common sinks and drains. It is, however, critically important in larger systems away from the equator (like tropical cyclones).

]]> http://www.tylerwhitaker.com/2008/05/23/my-attempt-to-find-the-ecuadorian-equator/comment-page-1/#comment-4648 Cheryl Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:46:39 +0000 http://www.tylerwhitaker.com/2008/05/23/my-attempt-to-find-the-ecuadorian-equator/#comment-4648 I was just at the Intiñan Solar Museum and saw the very same demonstration. All the information on the web makes it sound like the water draining clockwise/counter clockwise is a myth. What's the truth, I mean, I saw it with my own eyes, but was there some trick? I was just at the Intiñan Solar Museum and saw the very same demonstration. All the information on the web makes it sound like the water draining clockwise/counter clockwise is a myth. What’s the truth, I mean, I saw it with my own eyes, but was there some trick?

]]> http://www.tylerwhitaker.com/2008/05/23/my-attempt-to-find-the-ecuadorian-equator/comment-page-1/#comment-3046 Gavin Stevens Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:06:17 +0000 http://www.tylerwhitaker.com/2008/05/23/my-attempt-to-find-the-ecuadorian-equator/#comment-3046 Thats funny man! lol I would have thought the equator would be prettier.. Where is the gold line? Thats funny man! lol I would have thought the equator would be prettier.. Where is the gold line?

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