DENJIRO: Let’s try creating a typhoon today. I’m going to pour hot water over this vinyl sheet. Now I’ll place dry ice in two places. There’s mist created by the dry ice. The mist is pulled in by the updraft created by the hot water. When a spinning force is applied...
BOY: It’s swirling!
DENJIRO: Actually, a typhoon occurs under the same principle. In the experiment, the spinning force came about by chance, but with an actual typhoon, there is Coriolis force that comes from the Earth. Let’s try an experiment.
This spinning platform has a mini camera attached to it. First, let me roll a ball on the platform when it’s not moving. Please roll the ball. As you can see, the ball rolls in a straight line as expected. Now let’s try rolling the ball while the platform is spinning. It’s spinning in a counter-clockwise direction. If we look at the camera attached to the platform, we see the ball that was rolled in a straight line make a curve. Since the platform is spinning, there is force applied on the ball that makes it curve. This is Coriolis force. The rotation of the platform is the same as the Earth’s rotation.
An updraft occurs near the equator, where the water surface temperature is high. When there is low pressure due to the updraft, air starts to flow toward it. Coriolis force, created by the Earth’s rotation, is applied, causing it to rotate. This becomes a typhoon.
Now let’s combine the first experiment with the spinning platform to create a real typhoon. I’m going to use the backside of a hair dryer to create a strong updraft.
BOY: It looks like a typhoon!
DENJIRO: In the northern hemisphere, the Earth’s rotation is counter-clockwise, so typhoons rotate in the same direction. However, if you’re in the southern hemisphere, the Earth’s rotation moves in a clockwise direction, so the typhoon moves in the same direction.
I hope energy will bring you all happiness. Our magic word is "Happy Energy!"