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Coriolis force

British  
/ ˌkɒrɪˈəʊlɪs /

noun

  1. a fictitious force used to explain a deflection in the path of a body moving in latitude relative to the earth when observed from the earth. The deflection ( Coriolis effect ) is due to the earth's rotation and is to the east when the motion is towards a pole

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Coriolis force Scientific  
  1. A velocity-dependent pseudo force used mathematically to describe the motion of bodies in rotating reference frames such as the Earth's surface. Bodies moving on the plane of rotation appear to experience a force, leftward if the rotation of the reference frame is clockwise, rightward if counterclockwise. Such motion gives rise to the Coriolis effect.


Etymology

Origin of Coriolis force

C19: named after Gaspard G. Coriolis (1792–1843), French civil engineer

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

It then intensifies and starts to spin because of a phenomenon known as Coriolis force, a product of our planet's rotation.

From BBC Oct. 9, 2024

Although this growth can be triggered by interactions with other systems, it also occurs naturally because of the Coriolis force, a phenomenon created by the interaction between Earth’s rotation and the atmosphere.

From Scientific American Sep. 13, 2023

So as a hurricane heads north, it takes in air with a stronger Coriolis force, causing the storm to grow.

From Scientific American Sep. 13, 2023

He noted several principles capable of debunking the conspiracy theory, such as Foucault’s Pendulum, Coriolis force and the Pythagorean theorem.

From Washington Post Sep. 25, 2021

So the amount that I veered was equal to the deflection caused by the Coriolis force.

From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd

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