# Which direction does water drain at the equator?



## HossHuge (Oct 15, 2012)

I thought this was kinda cool.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/fast_track/9758180.stm


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## Fourstaff (Oct 15, 2012)

Coriolis effect don't really come up until you are a significant distance away from the equator (can't remember exact), when you are near the equator you really need to control the elements properly to see it. My home (not where I live) is 5 degrees north, and I can never get the water to spin the right way (as in statistically significant).


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## Jetster (Oct 15, 2012)

Thats a urban myth


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## FordGT90Concept (Oct 15, 2012)

If it isn't an illusion trick (e.g. he gives it a little twist as he places it in), it's likely due to the rotation of the Earth.  At the equater, they are moving at over 1000 MPH.  Moving just "20 meters" away causes a reduction in that velocity  so there's a velocity differential (very, very minute but present).

...I did some research.  What I explained above is the reason why hurricanes spin counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.  I re-watched the video and what he claimed it was the opposite.  The only logical explaination is wind (doesn't take much to make it move) and the way he positions his body controls which way it rotates.  It could also be something as simple as a hill or the design of the funnel he used.  There's simply too many variables to draw scientific conclusions.

Also keep in mind that there's a solar equater and a magnetic equater.  I assume he was on solar so it's possible the sun's gravity may have something to do with it.


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## remixedcat (Oct 15, 2012)

it drains in the direction that apple maps says to go


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## the54thvoid (Oct 15, 2012)

Jetster said:


> Thats a urban myth



Yes. 

http://www.snopes.com/science/coriolis.asp


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## 3870x2 (Oct 15, 2012)

Jetster said:


> Thats a urban myth



FYI those living in rural areas, this is still a fact.


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## scaminatrix (Oct 16, 2012)

Geez, I debunked this when I was like 8 years old with a sink full of water.
Being in whichever hemisphere has no persistent bearing on which way the water drains; go fill your sink and swish the water clockwise as it's draining. Then repeat anti-clockwise. Both work, and it won't stop spinning half-way through to spin the "right way". Oh yea, at my Nan's house (she lives like 2 miles from me, nowhere near any equator or other hemisphere's) her water will start to spin the opposite way to mine when you empty her sink.
I thought everyone knew that water doesn't persistently drain a different way when in a different hemisphere 

If these guys know this - then what the bloody hell are they doing wasting time draining water at the equator? Defeats me.


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## the54thvoid (Oct 16, 2012)

What's technically quite worrying is the reporter.  Her closing statement says:

"Well I know that physicists say it's a load of old rubbish and can't possibly be true... but what can I say? I'm impressed".

That alone is reason enough to stop journalists opening their mouths most of the time.  Gone are the days of news and real journalism.  It's monkey minded spunk lollies giving their own opinion on anything they care to these days.

I'm stopping my rant now before i get carried away.


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## ThE_MaD_ShOt (Oct 16, 2012)

Meh, Kenya guy gots some tricks.


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## Solaris17 (Oct 16, 2012)

yay thread about debunking the Coriolis effect and ragging on some cute chick. All the while attempting to assert our intellectual dominance over others by telling us when you debunked it!!


who cares? She didnt take it seriously and apparently im the only one that thought it was cool that she went to the equator. 

Dont worry though im still super impressed by all of you that figured out you can willingly change the spin of water being the dominant species on the planet and all.


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## Protagonist (Oct 16, 2012)

ThE_MaD_ShOt said:


> Meh, Kenya guy gots some *tricks*.



It's simple logic and common sense.


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## Arctucas (Oct 16, 2012)

Which direction does water drain at the equator?

The same direction it drains elsewhere on the surface of the Earth... down, toward the center of the planet.


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## trickson (Oct 16, 2012)

As long as the shit goes down the pipe who cares? I have been places where it drains to the right and left, The problem is when the turd refuses to go down!


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## Jetster (Oct 16, 2012)

In space, no one can make the turd go down


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