The Hydrosphere & Atmosphere on Earth:
The Coriolis Effect
MOVIES

Movie 1

shows the Coriolis effect on a merry-go-round.  This demonstration shows from above a spinning merry-go-round the path the ball travels appears to be straight.  However, from the perspective on the merry-go-round the ball appears to curve to the left as it moves from person-to-person.  Likewise, to a person sitting on the rotating Earth the path of moving objects appears to be deflected.  [Source: University of Illinois, Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences on NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory CD-ROM Visit to an Ocean Planet, v1.1]

Movie 2

show how the Coriolis effect changes wind and ocean current directionsThe Coriolis effect deflects winds and currents until they are parallel to isobars (lines of equal pressure), then the pressure gradient balances Coriolis force.  [Source: NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory CD-ROM Visit to an Ocean Planet, v1.1]

Movie 3 Simple animation of Coriolis Effect for a particle moving away from the pole.  [Astronomy Program Member, University of Massachusetts, http://donald.phast.umass.edu/~arny/quiz/images/coriolis.mov]
Movie 4 Animation of Coriolis Effect for a particle moving away from the equator.  [Astronomy Program Member, University of Massachusetts, http://donald.phast.umass.edu/~arny/images/cor_curv1.mov]