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===== Coriolis and Centrifugal Acceleration: Instructor's Guide =====

==== Main Ideas ====

Determining the direction of the Coriolis and centrifugal accelerations in
various situations.

==== Students' Task ====
//Estimated Time: 10 minutes, including wrap-up//

  * Determine the direction of the Coriolis acceleration, $-2\Vec\Omega\times{\Vec v}_R$.
  * Determine the direction of the centrifugal acceleration, $-\Vec\Omega\times(\Vec\Omega\times\Vec r)$.

==== Prerequisite Knowledge ====

  * The expression for acceleration in a rotating frame, namely:
$${\Vec a}_R = {\Vec a} - 2\,\Vec\Omega\times{\Vec v}_R
- \Vec\Omega\times(\Vec\Omega\times\Vec r)$$

==== Props/Equipment ====

  * [[:Props:start#whiteboards|Small whiteboards]] with markers

==== Activity: Wrap-up ====

Remind students how to manipulate their right hand in order to determine the
direction of the cross product.  Use this to determine the orientation of the
Coriolis acceleration, relative to the direction of motion (to the right).
Then demonstrate that the double cross product in the centrifugal acceleration
leads to a reversal of the direction, so that the centrifugal acceleration
points radially outward.

==== Extensions ====

Is there a modified version of Newton's Second Law which holds in a rotating
reference frame?