Hurricans
What are the three names used for tropical storms depending on where they occur?
Answer: Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons.
What is a tornado?
A rotating column of air that reaches the ground.
: Which state experiences more sinkhole formations than any other state?
Florida.
What causes an earthquake?
The shaking of the ground caused by movement of rocks inside Earth.
What should you do during an earthquake to protect yourself?
Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
Name two hazards that a hurricane can bring to a coastal area.
Heavy rain, high winds, storm surge, or tornadoes. (Any two.)
What scale do scientists use to rank tornadoes based on their destructive power?
The Enhanced Fujita Scale.
What is the most common weather-related natural disaster?
Floods.
What are the pieces of Earth's crust called that can bump into each other, pull apart, or slide past each other?
Tectonic plates.
How many hours before expected hurricane conditions is a hurricane watch issued?
Within 48 hours.
What is storm surge, and how can it affect coastal communities?
It pushes seawater onto land during a hurricane, flooding coastal towns.
What is wind shear?
When winds at different heights blow in different directions.
: What type of rock can underground water slowly dissolve, helping form sinkholes?
Limestone.
What tool records the shaking caused by an earthquake?
A seismometer or seismograph.
Name three supplies you should include in a hurricane disaster kit.
Nonperishable food, flashlight, batteries, cash, gas for your vehicle, first-aid supplies, bottled water, or copies of important information. (Any three.)
What do meteorologists use to track hurricanes and predict their intensity and possible damage?
Satellites and computer models.
What two types of air meet during tornado formation, according to the slides?
Warm, moist air and cold, dry air.
Why can a sinkhole suddenly open beneath a road or building even if the surface looked normal before?
Underground water may have dissolved rock over time, creating cavities. When the ground above can no longer support its weight, it collapses.
What are seismic waves, and what do they do? n
They are waves of energy that travel through Earth during an earthquake.
What is the difference between a mandatory evacuation and a voluntary evacuation?
A mandatory evacuation means the government orders people to leave. A voluntary evacuation means people may choose to leave but are not required to.
According to the slides, what does the cone of uncertainty show on a hurricane forecast map?
he possible area where the hurricane could travel. It is more likely to follow the middle path, but it can move elsewhere within the cone.
: A tornado is rated EF-4. Is it stronger or weaker than an EF-2 tornado, and why?
Stronger, because higher EF ratings indicate more destructive tornadoes. EF-0 is the weakest and EF-5 is the strongest.
Explain how a sinkhole forms, starting with water moving underground.
Water dissolves rock and creates empty spaces underground. Eventually, the ground above collapses into those spaces.
: An earthquake ends, but smaller shakes happen several days later. What are these smaller shakes called?
Aftershocks.
hurricane is approaching, and your area is ordered to evacuate. Why should you leave before the storm arrives instead of waiting until the weather gets worse?
Leaving early helps people get to safety before dangerous conditions, flooding, and blocked roads make travel difficult or unsafe.