If draining water rotates one way in the north.........?

Question

.....and the opposite way in the southern hemisphere, is there a spot right in the middle and what happens there? Thanks in advance to all who answer.

Answer 1

that's an interesting question. i would say no because that would be just too weird for water to drain straight down. i just can't see it. wait i can. but not anymore, that image was just for one second. nah it doesn't. it's still too weird. oh wait there it is again. oh it left. yeah it's gone for good.

but i say, take a trip to the equator and find out. it would be a great story to tell your friends!

Answer 2

Water does not drain in different directions in different hemispheres - I've been to both frequently and seen this - the effect that would cause it is far, far too small to be significant in a bath.

But airm movements and Ocean currents are affected by the Coriolis force and do rotate in opposite directions in the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

Near the equator, there is no rotation. This leads to wind systems stopping, which was a problem for sailing ships. The areas of zero rotation are called the doldrums.

Answer 3

It is true that, from a perfectly drain hole, water starts rotating in one direction, forming a vortex, in one hemisphere, and in the other direction in the other hemisphere.
This is due to the Corioli effect (the rotation of the Earth on its North/South axis).
It is also true that, on the equator, the water falls straight down, without forming a vortex. It is so true that just about a 100m away from the equator, water starts to form a vortex!
However, as one pointed it out above, you can overcome this by staring the rotation yourself. If you have enough water and enough time, the vortex will slow down, stop, then restart in the right direction!!!

Answer 4

This effect is true and is the same one that determines the direction of rotation of hurricanes and cyclones.

It is only a minor effect and can be easily overcome by manually initiating a vortex in the opposite direction.

As one approaches the equator the effect would reduce to zero. Then the draining water may vortex in either direction or most likely it would gurgle out with mainly radial flow.

Good luck

Answer 5

You should make it you life's quest to find this answer. I would start around the equator and move a little at a time until you found the spot that wasn't north or south and then come back and tell us the answer.

Answer 6

Complete myth. The difference in Coriolis force is completely irrelevant compared with local effects like the shape of the bath, etc

Answer 7

First of all that draining thingy is all a myth. It drains the same way, it's just that some manufacturers build em' differently

Answer 8

That's an urban legend. You can make water rotate either way in either hemisphere

http://www.snopes.com/science/coriolis.htm

Answer 9

Bliss!