Science!

[dvandom]

Well, more like science, not SCIENCE!. But still. Back in grad school I worked out an explanation of the Coriolis force that didn't require using all sorts of complicated principles. It had holes, and I found a better explanation. That has stood until recently, when a guy in Germany started emailing me about a problem with it. I'm still not totally sure what he's getting at, but clearly it's time for another revision. And here it is! The part I need to re-explain in the most depth isn't done yet, I'm still building the props.

Edit: I borrowed a basketball from the lab equipment room and used it and some micro-Gundam figures to finish up my explanation.

Comments

[finback.livejournal.com]

"an explanation of the Coriolis force that didn't require using all sorts of complicated principles"

For some reason, my eyes substituted the word "vampires" in place of principles.

[foomf.livejournal.com]

Your explanation of the non-spinning globe is broken.
There is no deflection right or left. The great circle which the bullet will follow (assuming you are shooting an arc rather than into the ground) will be one centered on the center of the earth and congruent with the arc of the bullet's travel.

You only get deflection when the ground starts moving.

[foomf.livejournal.com]

Also if you REALLY want to make their brains explode, add precession.