Coriolis Force

Coriolis Force, also Coriolis acceleration, in mechanics, additional force or acceleration acting on the motion of bodies in a rotating system of reference. For example, an object moving above Earth in a generally northerly or southerly direction, and with a constant velocity relative to space, will be deflected in relation to the rotation of Earth. This deflection is clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere. The effect is named after the French physicist Gaspard de Coriolis, who first analyzed the phenomenon mathematically. Coriolis forces are of considerable importance in determining prevailing winds and ocean currents and also in the analysis of the flight paths of missiles and rockets.