Re: Coriolis effect: Veer to the left, or veer to the right?

A super gun is sitting on the Equator and pointed true North. It is
aimed at a city on the 45th parallel. (half way between Equator and
North Pole :) It is then fired. Will the shell veer to the right or
to the left? By "veer" I am referring to its path over the ground.

Argument that it will veer to the left: During the duration of the
shell's flight, the earth has rotated in a counter clockwise way, as
seen from an observer suspended above the North Pole. Therefore the
shell will be seen veering to the left as its path is traced on a map.

Argument that it will veer to the right:
At the time the gun is fired it is moving at 24,000 mph to the right
from the standpoint of an observer suspended over the Equator and
stationary wrt the distant stars. So the shell at the time of exiting
the gun will
have a transverse velocity of 24,000 mph.
The city on the 45th parralell will have a transverse of only 12,000
mph, so the shell will veer to the right as its path is traced on a map.

It is beyond dispute the exact position where the shell was fired, and
beyond dispute where the shell landed. Did it land on the city at the
45th parallel, or to the left, or to the right? Extra credit for
stating the # of miles to the left or to the right, if such be the case.

Confused.





































.