Gravity is the major factor in the flow of water, but is there any validity to the theory that centrifugal force could have effected the formation of rivers to flow toward the equator.
2006-08-28 23:33:37 · 7 answers · asked by Arlene06 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Excellent question. The middle of the earth spins faster than the poles so yes, you could conclude that it pulls water towards it. And it's clear that this has an effect on ocean currents as well, and why they turn one way in the northern hemisphere and the other direction in the southern hemisphere. On the other hand--while the Mississippi, the Danube and the Volga flow towards the equator, the Nile (which is north of the equator and the largest river in the world) flows away from the equator. I think the Rhine also flows away from the equator. So while there may be an effect, other factors like geography, geology, rainfall patterns and many other natural causes complicate the picture.
2006-08-31 03:20:41 · answer #1 · answered by AnOrdinaryGuy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So far...We've got no such theoriez which could exactly explain that centrifugal force was the reason for which the centrifugal force could have effected the formation of flow toward the equator ...but the question is satisfactory enough to explain it in terms of Science but when it comes to the normal behaviour of the rivers....I mean when it comes to practical explanation.....so far there was no theorie as such....sorry
2006-08-28 23:48:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anurag 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, several large rivers in Russia and Canada empty out into the Arctic Sea, directly opposite of the prediction of this so-called theory.
2006-08-29 04:52:16 · answer #3 · answered by Amphibolite 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. If the spinning of the earth had any influence it would have been into making the equator bulge out, and that would make the surface "level" for water flow back again.
2006-08-28 23:40:53 · answer #4 · answered by Vincent G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
definite, as all of us recognize the centrifugal tension is given by using the expression, F=Mv/R, the place M is the mass of the particle, v is the fee of rotation interior the orbit and R is the radius of rotational orbit. So, the radius of orbit on the equator is larger than that on the pole, which provides the evidence that for the comparable mass, the stress on the equator is under that on the pole. for this reason, centrifugal tension on the equator is sufficient to make something lighter than may well be on the pole.
2016-11-06 00:32:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
not all rivers flow towards the equator - Niagra, Columbia , Mackenzie (in the Yukon), St. Lawrence,Snake and Salmon in Idaho, Sandusky and Rocky in Ohio - just a few in North America - so no I don't think so
2006-09-02 12:23:41 · answer #6 · answered by Norman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Albert Einstein as mentioned in this link wrote a paper on this matter stating the north and south pole will cause by the centrfugal momentum cause pole shift so I think this question in light of Albert Einsteins paper is valid and plausable
http://www.world-mysteries.com/sci_2.htm
Or this also interested me
Albert Einstein meandering rivers
http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/documents/Einstein/albert.htm
Good Question
2006-08-29 00:56:14 · answer #7 · answered by Eric C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋