Which Way Does Water Circle the Drain on the Equator? Thinking About the Coriolis Effect

Thinking like a scientist about the Coriolis Effect means examining claims of truth to separate fact from fiction.

Questions to consider:
What is the Coriolis Effect?
Why do hurricanes not strike at the equator?
How strongly would the Coriolis Effect affect water circling a drain two meters from the equator?
What other forces might explain how water circles a drain?
Why does the guide say “this is just an example of how the forces work in the world”?

Experiments:
(1) Test the claim that you can balance a raw egg on a nail because there are no Coriolis forces at the equator. Can you balance a raw egg on a nail?

(2) Test the claim about water in a sink being influenced by the Coriolis Effect. Could you replicate this same demonstration no matter where you live in the world?

Additional Reading:
Ferri, J. (2020). Ecuador’s fake equator. Retrieved from:
Palmer, R. (2020, Jan. 8). Ecuadorian equatorial pseudoscience. Retrieved from:
Wikipedia:
Museum website: www.MuseoIntiNan.com.ec

Music: “Bass Walker”, Kevin MacLeod, YouTube Audio Library

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