Why does the water go down the bathhole one way in the northern hemisphere and opposite in the southern?

Question

My boss needs to settle an arguement with a friend. Why does the water flow down a plug hole one way in the Northern Hemisphere compared to the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere?

Answer 1

It doesn't.


The water may drain in one direction in one bathtub, and another direction in another tub, but those directions would not change in a different hemisphere.

Since the characteristics of the tub itself (or any motion you gave the water when you got out of the tub) has a greater effect than just about anything else.

Answer 2

Earth is round.

It is all relative to the Earth's core. Wherever you are, water will go down, towards the direction of Earth's core, because of its gravitational force.

Eg, take an apple, and identify it's core as the area where the seeds are. cut the apply through the "equator". Place both pieces flat surface on a table. imagine one part as the Northern hemisphere, the other as Southern hemisphere... now, identify the branch ends as your bathtub. from the bathtub, water will always flow down to the core.

Hope this helps, Peace.

Answer 3

It has to do with the rotation of the earth... Also hurricanes in the northern hemisphere rotate a diffrent direction from hurricanes in the southern hemisphere.

counterclockwise in the north, clockwise in the south... it works for larger forces than toilets and sinks...

look up :Coriolis effect

Answer 4

The Coriolis effect is rather weak for small drains like a bathtub and it is easy to reverse the direction of rotation. However, the effect is strong enough to produce a tendency. Weather systems (including hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones) rotate in different directions north and south of the equator because of the same Coriolis effect.

Answer 5

wow i never knew that... but i would imagine its something to do with rotation of the earth cause in the northern you get your weather from west to east and in the southern its east to west i beleive. or something like that