If a toilet was approximatly on the equator and was flushed, which way would the water go?

Question

If a toilet approximatly on the equator was flushed, which way would the water go? This question has always been bugging me. I asked my science teacher, but I would like to get some second opinions.

Answer 1

south or north or east or west

Answer 2

It would flush normally, likely swirling down in a counter-clockwise direction.  This is because the water enters the bowl slightly angled, and that angled entry induces the rotation as the water spirals on down the bowl.  The Coriolis effect has nothing to do with it.  I have flushed toilets in the southern hemisphere, and the water swirled down in the same direction as it did in the northern hemisphere.

Answer 3

It depends upon how it and the piping is built.  The direction the water goes has nothing to do with which side of the equator you're talking about.  That's a groundless myth despite the ingenious explanations accounting for something that isn't true

Answer 4

it doesnt matter where you are

it matters what kinda toilet u have

Answer 5

South, look out australia lol! :)

Answer 6

It's a common belief that water swirls around in a different direction - depending on which hemisphere you're in.

But hemisphere doesn't actually have anything to do with it. It's a myth! The biggest factor in determining which way the water is going to swirl - is the direction that the water enters in the first place. Water will just go with it's created inertia (i.e the path of least resistance).

Just think about it - wouldn't it be silly to believe that water would suddenly turn against it's induced current?

Answer 7

Sorry...down again.

Dont let the downs let you down.

Answer 8

The Coriolis force would be nil (unlike well away from the equator where it rotates thunderstorms and even hurricanes).  Therefore the rotation of drained liquids would depend upon slight imperfections in the ceramic that might initiate a rotation.  Of course, the ceramic designer can direct the jets of water to cause a strong rotation during a flush.

Answer 9

     Down.

Answer 10

If you want a definite answer. Go to the equator and flush.

Answer 11

The toilet would probably blow up through indecision....RUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNN!!!...

Answer 12

my guess is straight down

Answer 13

The water would go directly down the plug hole.  It would not circulate clockwise or counter clockwise given the earth's rotation and slight oval curvature.  The plug would need to be directly where the longitude and lattitue meet at "0" for this to take place.  

Answer 14

It wouldn't make a difference. Gravity pulls everything to the earth's core. This question basicaly is asking if you were in Antarctica, would you be upside down. But no, there isn't an up or down because nothing in the universe decides which way is up or down because it just goes on and on forever. And there is also no definite answer that North is up and South is down. Man just decided that it would be that way.

Answer 15

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Thats a funny question obviosly how does it matter...the flushing will b the same in any place...NICE QUESTION...HEHEHEE..SRY ...LOL*

Answer 16

it wouldn't spin it would go straight down

Answer 17

You can't get "some" second opinions - if you have an opinion then you can get another one, the second. Then you go to the third, fourth etc.

If this question ( or presumably the elusive answer to it) has always been bugging you then I would suggest you ask someone who lives on the equator and has a flushing toilet and who knows which way is clockwise and is curious enough to take note of the direction of the disappearing turds and record his/her findings on a sufficient number of occassions to validate the findings otherwise than on a completely random basis.

In other words - stuffed if I know!!

Answer 18

the corioles effect does not have any effect at that kind of distance which is what supposedly causes the water in a toilet to rotate in a certain direction depending on which hemisphere it is in but really it's just the design of the toilet

Answer 19

i think it would flush down with small movements of left and right