Marine Science: Modeling the Coriolis Effect
Materials
- 1 Balloon (round)
- 2 Permanent Markers (different colors, readable when applied to balloons)
Method:
1: Blow up a balloon (one each pair of students)
2 :With a marker, draw the equator on the balloon and label the North and South Poles.
3: Hold the balloon at eye level and rotate it left to right, simulating the rotation of the earth.
While 1 partner rotates the earth balloon, the other examines the movement of the earth from the
North Pole perspective and from the South Pole perspective.
4: While 1 partner continues to rotate the balloon steadily from left to right, the other slowly tries
to draw a line straight south from the North Pole to the equator, using the other marker.
While the earth continues to rotate, 1 partner tries to draw a line straight north from the
South Pole to the equator.
1: Blow up a balloon (one each pair of students)
2 :With a marker, draw the equator on the balloon and label the North and South Poles.
3: Hold the balloon at eye level and rotate it left to right, simulating the rotation of the earth.
While 1 partner rotates the earth balloon, the other examines the movement of the earth from the
North Pole perspective and from the South Pole perspective.
4: While 1 partner continues to rotate the balloon steadily from left to right, the other slowly tries
to draw a line straight south from the North Pole to the equator, using the other marker.
While the earth continues to rotate, 1 partner tries to draw a line straight north from the
South Pole to the equator.
Question:
1. As you look down from the North Pole toward the equator, which way is the balloon spinning,
clockwise or counterclockwise? Explain what you see and why.
In the northern hemisphere, wind shear usually works so that wind direction turns counterclockwise with increasing altitude.
2. As you look up from the South Pole toward the equator, which way is the balloon spinning,
clockwise or counterclockwise? Explain what you see and why.
Looking down at the earth while standing on the south pole, it rotates clockwise
3. What happened when you tried to draw a straight line from the North Pole to the equator?
Explain what you see and why.
The line is took direction which turn counterclockwise
4. What happened when you tried to draw a straight line from the South Pole to the equator?
Explain what you see and why.
The line is took direction which turn clockwise.
5. Predict what would happen if you again drew lines in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
but with the earth rotating in the opposite direction.
So if from the Northern Hemisphere took a Clockwise direction , now will take a clockcounterwise direction , as well the Southern Hemisphere will do with its direction.
1. As you look down from the North Pole toward the equator, which way is the balloon spinning,
clockwise or counterclockwise? Explain what you see and why.
In the northern hemisphere, wind shear usually works so that wind direction turns counterclockwise with increasing altitude.
2. As you look up from the South Pole toward the equator, which way is the balloon spinning,
clockwise or counterclockwise? Explain what you see and why.
Looking down at the earth while standing on the south pole, it rotates clockwise
3. What happened when you tried to draw a straight line from the North Pole to the equator?
Explain what you see and why.
The line is took direction which turn counterclockwise
4. What happened when you tried to draw a straight line from the South Pole to the equator?
Explain what you see and why.
The line is took direction which turn clockwise.
5. Predict what would happen if you again drew lines in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
but with the earth rotating in the opposite direction.
So if from the Northern Hemisphere took a Clockwise direction , now will take a clockcounterwise direction , as well the Southern Hemisphere will do with its direction.