==Replies to William M Connolley== 
 ===Sources=== 
 About sources: if for example an article states that the Earth rotates, and that it is orbiting the Sun, then that particular statement would not rquire specific reference; it is general knowledge, plain for all to see. 

 
 It is common practice in physics texts to use thought experiment with a clear outcome. In for example the article about planetary orbitthe image Image:OrbitingCannonBalls.png is shown.  The function of that image is to make the reader see the logic, so that the reader does not have to take the article's word for it, the reader can verify for himself that it is correct, by thinking it through. 

 *If a planet would be perfectly spherical, and it would also rotate, then all the water would flow to the equator, for on the spherical planet the proper centripetal force on the water would not be provided by the planet's gravity.  
 *Conversely, if a planet would be a ellipsiod, but non-rotating, then all the water would flow to the poles, for the poles would then be point of lowest gravitational potential. 

 Of course, both situations are strictly hypothetical, for celestial bodies that are rotating around their own center of mass are always in dynamic equilibrium, ellipsoid in shape, such that the water and air is equally thick all over the planet.  

 However, the ellipsiod shape of the Earth creates an arena for physics taking place that is in simplified form modeled by a turntable with a parabolic surface. An object on a flat turntable would simply fly off. That is centrifugal effect, with just a smithering of Coriolis effect. The parabolic turntable sets up an environment where the centrifugal effect is cancelled, so that what remains is all Coriolis effect. 
 These are not ex cathedra statements, all of this is pretty elementary physics, readily verified by the reader. 
 I shall see if I can find appropriate quotes in the work of James F. Price, for reference. 
  |   

 ===The expression Coriolis effect is like the expression Doppler effect=== 
 One of the themes of the article is that the expression coriolis effect is to be understood as analogous to expressions like 'Doppler effect' and 'Casimir effect'. There is a Doppler effect, there is no "Doppler force", there is a Casimir effect, there is no "Casimir force". 
 A belief that there actually is a "Coriois force" is a metaphysical belief.  |   

 ===The ice skater and keeping track of the causal chain=== 
 About the ice skater and conservation of angular momentum. 
 Of course, conservation of ancgular momentum does apply in the case of the  ice skater, but conservation of momentum is relatively unsuited for explaining the dynamics of a situation. 

 For example, when a cannon is fired the projectile is hurled away and the barrel recoils, as there is conservation of momentum. It sounds rather odd to say 'the projectile flies away because the barrel recoils'. That is rather unsatisfactory. A dynamic explanation focuses on what happens to the energy: the gunpowder explodes, chemical potential is converted to heat, expanding gases accelerate the projectile through the barrel. The general practice in physics is to look to the energy and to the forces. Energy is more associated with causality, because energy is associated with how processes develop over time, while momentum is more associated with symmetry of space.  

 In the Coriolis effect there is conversion of energy from one form to another. Potential-kinetic, kinetic-potential The general physics approach to understanding a phenomenon is to keep track of the energy conversions.  |   

 ===The influence of gravity, redirected by the slope=== 
 In the article it is stated:  
 :[...]air flowing from East to West is deflected because it is pulled towards the Earth's axis of rotation by the force of gravity. 
 William M Connolley has written: 
 :AFAIK gravity plays no role at all.  
 You are misinformed, everything that is resting on the surface of the Earths is affected by gravity the way that is modeled in the parabolic turntable demonstrations. 
 I shall see if I can find appropriate quotes in the work of James F. Price., for reference.  |