Why do tornadoes have such high wind speeds?
What will be an ideal response?
The high wind speed of tornadoes is directly related to the extremely low pressures in the center of the vortex. Pressures within some tornadoes have been estimated to be as much as 10 percent lower than immediately outside the storm. Drawn by the much lower pressure in the center of the vortex, air near the ground rushes into the tornado from all directions. As the air streams inward, it is spiraled upward around the core until it eventually merges with the airflow of the parent thunderstorm deep in the cumulonimbus tower. Because of the tremendous pressure gradient associated with a strong tornado, maximum winds can sometimes approach 480 kilometers (300 miles) per hour.
You might also like to view...
Which of the following is incorrect regarding ice-sheet climates?
A) The climate is dominated by dry, frigid air masses. B) There is very little precipitation. C) The only month with an average temperature above freezing corresponds to the summer solstice (June in the Northern Hemisphere, December in the Southern Hemisphere). D) There are vast expanses that never warm above freezing.
Ocean gyres are asymmetrical because of the Coriolis effect
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
The number of plant and animal species present and the variety of genetic materials these organisms contain is called __________
Fill in the blank(s) with correct word
The energy of a charged particle due to location is called
A. potential. B. potential energy. C. both are the same D. none of the above