YouTubers Prove Toilets Do Swirl Differently In Opposite Hemispheres, Create The First ‘Synchronized Videos’ To Show It

One of the most commonly spread rumors about physics is the direction of toilet swirl, which says that toilets swirl in opposite directions depending on which hemisphere of the Earth you’re in. Many YouTubers have set out to debunk this myth by showing that toilets and sinks drain both clockwise and counterclockwise, regardless of hemisphere. But one duo of educational YouTubers have proved the toilet swirl myth true — water really does drain in opposite directions on different parts of the Earth! It’s called the coriolis effect.

see link for video

then why didn’t they do another experiment in the northern hemisphere?

Gravity is in the center of the planet, not at the poles

from

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/D3.html

Subject: D3) Why do tropical cyclones’ winds rotate counter-clockwise (clockwise) in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere?

Contributed by Chris Landsea (NHC)

The reason is that the earth’s rotation sets up an apparent force (called the Coriolis force) that pulls the winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere (and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere). So when a low pressure starts to form north of the equator, the surface winds will flow inward trying to fill in the low and will be deflected to the right and a counter-clockwise rotation will be initiated. The opposite (a deflection to the left and a clockwise rotation) will occur south of the equator.

NOTE: This force is too tiny to affect rotation in, for example, water that is going down the drains of sinks and toilets. The rotation in those will be determined by the geometry of the container and the original motion of the water. Thus one can find both clockwise and counter- clockwise flowing drains no matter what hemisphere you are located. If you don’t believe this, test it out for yourself.

watched the two videos a couple of days ago. not good science.

Gravity is in the center(sic) of the planet, not at the poles

which isn’t pertinent to the experiment.

then why didn’t they do another experiment in the northern hemisphere?

there was two experiments done. one in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern.

They haven’t proved anything at all. They’ve demonstrated a single instance of water rotating in a particular direction in each hemisphere. It has long been known that you can get water to swirl in either direction – or even not swirl at all – wherever you are on Earth.

They are maintaining the myth

ChrispenEvan said:

Gravity is in the center(sic) of the planet, not at the poles

which isn’t pertinent to the experiment.

then why didn’t they do another experiment in the northern hemisphere?

there was two experiments done. one in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern.

—-

From snopes:

I’ve been told that water goes down a sink in one direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere. Is that true?

A: No! The origin of this myth comes from applying a scientific principle to a situation where it does not fit. The Coriolis deflection causes cyclonic systems to rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. It was inevitable that someone would suggest (without checking) that a sink should drain in a similar manner.

However, a cyclone is more than 1000 kilometers in diameter and may exist for several days. By contrast, a typical sink is less than a meter in diameter and drains in a matter of seconds. On this scale, the Coriolis force is miniscule. Therefore, the shape of the sink and how level it is has more to do with the direction of water flow than the Coriolis force.

did they take in wind as a factor?

even a slight breeze

blowing over the experiment all night?

tauto said:

ChrispenEvan said:

Gravity is in the center(sic) of the planet, not at the poles

which isn’t pertinent to the experiment.

then why didn’t they do another experiment in the northern hemisphere?

there was two experiments done. one in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern.

—-

From snopes:

I’ve been told that water goes down a sink in one direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere. Is that true?

A: No! The origin of this myth comes from applying a scientific principle to a situation where it does not fit. The Coriolis deflection causes cyclonic systems to rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. It was inevitable that someone would suggest (without checking) that a sink should drain in a similar manner.

However, a cyclone is more than 1000 kilometers in diameter and may exist for several days. By contrast, a typical sink is less than a meter in diameter and drains in a matter of seconds. On this scale, the Coriolis force is miniscule. Therefore, the shape of the sink and how level it is has more to do with the direction of water flow than the Coriolis force.

Has nobody thought of the position of the tap or inflow?

if everyone in China flushed their toilet at once it would cause a tsunami

true story

wookiemeister said:

if everyone in China flushed their toilet at once it would cause a tsunami

true story

Least of their worries.

I was told the same thing applies to sinks and basins, well I know this isn’t true as I have found sinks and basins in the same house where clockwise and anticlockwise rotations occur.