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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/toilet-coriolis

Does water flush down the toilet in the opposite direction in Australia?

No. Toilets flush based on the angle of the water jets in the bowl.

  1. Yes, because of the equator
  2. No, it depends on the water jets ✔
  3. Yes, the Earth's spin pulls it

Why: The Earth's spin does create the Coriolis effect, which spins giant hurricanes. But a toilet bowl is far too small for that force to matter.

Huh, didn't know that: Manufacturers aim the rinse jets to swirl the water and clean the bowl, which dictates the spin.

The dad joke
Why did the toilet paper roll down the hill? To get to the bottom.
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Sources

  1. Scientific American: Can somebody finally settle this question about toilets https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-somebody-finally-settle-this-question-about-toilets/

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