The Coriolis effect: from pendulums to molecules

Quimica nova

Braga, João Pedro¹  Borges, Emílio² 

[1] Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil;Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brasil

关键词: Coriolis effect;    Foucalt pendulum;    spectroscopic and energetic molecular processes.;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0100-40422010000600036

学科分类：化学（综合）

来源: Sociedade Brasileira de Quimica

【 摘 要 】

Coriolis forceis an effect which arises in rotating reference frames such as the Earth. Thisforce influences large oceanic motions, atmospheric inertial circles, horizontaland vertical deviations in moving bodies. The Foucault's pendulum is anotherspecial case about the Coriolis force influence on macroscopic processes. Thispendulum is an example of how experimental sciences can be essential for philosophicaland social changes, since it was crucial to prove the Earth's rotation. TheCoriolis force has an important role also at microscopic level; it couples vibrationaland rotational molecular motions and this fact has consequences in spectroscopicand energetic molecular processes. These points are discussed in this paper.

【 授权许可】

CC BY