whirlpool
Sign in to savethumb|upright=1.36|The Gulf of Corryvreckan whirlpool in Scotland is the third-largest whirlpool in the world. A whirlpool is a body of rotating water produced by opposing currents or a current running into an obstacle. Miniature whirlpools form when a bath or a sink is draining. More powerful ones formed in seas or oceans may be called maelstroms ( ). Vortex is the proper term for a whirlpool that has a downdraft.
AI overview
A whirlpool is a rotating body of water created when opposing currents meet or when a current hits an obstacle, ranging from the small spirals you see in a draining bathtub to massive ocean formations. While whirlpools are common natural phenomena, the most powerful ones—sometimes called maelstroms—can be notable maritime features, with the Gulf of Corryvreckan in Scotland ranking as the world's third-largest.
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Article
13 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Notable whirlpools
- Saltstraumen
- Moskstraumen
- Corryvreckan
- Niagara Whirlpool
- Other notable maelstroms and whirlpools
- Dangers
- In literature and popular culture
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|upright=1.36|The Gulf of Corryvreckan whirlpool in Scotland is the third-largest whirlpool in the world. A whirlpool is a body of rotating water produced by opposing currents or a current running into an obstacle. Miniature whirlpools form when a bath or a sink is draining. More powerful ones formed in seas or oceans may be called maelstroms ( ). Vortex is the proper term for a whirlpool that has a downdraft.
In narrow ocean straits with fast flowing water, whirlpools are often caused by tides. Many stories tell of ships being sucked into a maelstrom, although only smaller craft are actually in danger. Small whirlpools appear at river rapids and can be observed downstream of artificial structures such as weirs and dams. Large cataracts, such as Niagara Falls, produce strong whirlpools.