What are tropical cyclones and what conditions are needed for their development?
What will be an ideal response?
Answer: Tropical cyclones are intense, rotating convectional systems that develop over warm ocean areas in the tropics and subtropics. They develop primarily during the warm season. When such storms have wind velocities exceeding 74 miles/hour, they are called hurricanes in North America. In other regions, they are given different names. In western Pacific they are called typhoons and in the Indian Ocean and northern Australia they are called cyclones.
Tropical cyclones typically develop in the eastern portion of an ocean within the trade-wind belt. They begin as areas of low pressure and converging winds, drawing in warm, moisture-laden air. Tropical storms move with the general circulation over the subtropical Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, from east to west. They thrive on warm, moist air, so they are most intense over ocean areas during the warm season. They lose intensity over land because they lose their source of energy. Furthermore, the smooth ocean surface favors development of high winds. In contrast, the hills and trees of land areas slow the wind by friction.
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The "ozone hole" is observed above ____
A) the equator B) Australia C) Antarctica D) Asia
Unlike large solar collection fields and dams, wind farms
A) keep the surrounding land available for farming. B) can continue to generate electricity every hour of the day. C) do not generate greenhouse gases. D) are very inexpensive to build.
Which group of people colonized Alaska, and controlled it until the United States purchased it in 1867?
A) Dutch B) Portuguese C) Russians D) French E) Spanish
How is cellulosic ethanol different from traditional corn-based ethanol?
A. It can be made from the nonfood portions of plants and from wood. B. It is made from sustainably grown corn. C. It can be made from used grease and oil from restaurants. D. It is made from wheat or rice grains instead of corn