# Coriolis effect

181pages on
this wiki

In physics, the Coriolis effect is a deflection of moving objects when the motion is described relative to a rotating reference frame. In a reference frame with clockwise rotation, the deflection is to the left of the motion of the object; in one with counter-clockwise rotation, the deflection is to the right.

## Coriolis Force

Coriolis effect is a consequence of the Coriolis force. Coriolis force is an inertial force (or a pseudo-force) which acts on object placed in a rotating frame of reference. The Coriolis force acts in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis and to the velocity of the body in the rotating frame and is proportional to the object's speed in the rotating frame.

## Formula

The vector formula can be given as:

$F_C = -2m \cdot ( \Omega \times v)$
where
m is the mass of the object
Ω is the angular velocity vector
v is relative velocity between the rotating system and object

This can be rewritten as:

$F_C = m \cdot a_C$

where aC is Coriolis acceleration which is given by: $a_C = -2 \Omega \times v$