Coriolis effect
Syllabification: (Co·ri·o·lis ef·fect)
Pronunciation: /ˌkôrēˈōləs/
Definition of Coriolis effect
noun
Physics- an effect whereby a mass moving in a rotating system experiences a force (the Coriolis force) acting perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the axis of rotation. On the earth, the effect tends to deflect moving objects to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern and is important in the formation of cyclonic weather systems.
Origin:
early 20th century: named after Gaspard Coriolis (1792–1843), French engineer