Study Guide Chapter 10 PDF

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Study guide from chapter for weekly quizzes and unit exams...

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Dakota Bartsch A01823843 Unit 3: Assignment 3

Exam 3 Study Guide: Part 3 Chapter 10: Hurricanes and Extratropical Cyclones Instructions: Use the chapter 10 reading and lecture materials to answer the following questions. Some questions have multiple parts so carefully read the questions and provide detailed and specific responses. Generally, the difference between a good grade and a poor grade on an assignment is based on whether or not the questions were answered completely. The purpose of this assignment is to test your understanding of course materials covered from Chapter 10. Additionally, this assignment doubles as Part 3 of the Exam 3 study guide. 1. Describe the basic characteristics of a cyclone. What distinguishes a tropical cyclone from an extratropical cyclone? (1 pt) Cyclones are a center of low atmospheric pressure because of rotating winds. They are classified based on their location and temperature. Tropical cyclones form over warm tropical or subtropical ocean water, closer to the equator than extratropical cyclones. Extratropical cyclones are located over temperate regions and have colder cores. 2. What is the primary way that hurricanes are classified? (1 pt) Hurricanes are classified by their wind speed on the Saffir-Simpson Hurrican Scale which measures the damage potential. It has five categories, 3-5 are considered major while 1&2 are minor. 3. What conditions are needed to develop a hurricane from a tropical storm? (1 pt) A tropical disturbance is needed, a large area of unsettled water with a mass of thunderstorms going for 24 hours. This becomes a low pressure area called a trough. These can dissipate or become tropical storms. From a tropical storm, if the ocean water warms deeply enough and begins to evaporate, the atmosphere cools enough to make the warm vapor unstable, and there is little vertical wind, a hurricane may form. 4. What are the three main parts of a hurricane? (1 pt) Hurricanes contain rain bands, which are the clouds spiraling around a hurricane. They contain thunderstorms. The eyewall contains the most rainfall and wind, and is constantly changing. Within the eyewall is the hurricane’s eye. It is cone shaped and contains mostly blue skies, it is the “calm of the storm” 5. Describe the effects of cyclones. (1 pt) Cyclones produce flooding, thunderstorms, and tornados. They can also cause storm surges, raises in sea level, high winds, which cause great damage, and heavy rains. 6. Explain the causes and effects of storm surges. What will cause a storm surge to increase? (1 pt)

Storm surges will increase with the intensity and size of the cyclone. Heavier winds will push more water towards the shallower shores, increasing their depth. 7. What are the linkages between cyclones and other natural hazards? (1 pt) Cyclones are linked to erosion, because of all the water passing over the land, flooding from the storm surge and heavy rains, mass wasting, as mountainsides are wiped out by landslides. 8. Once a hurricane has formed, what are the predictions that must be made by meteorologists? (1 pt) Once a hurricane has formed, meteorologists predict storm surges, the track and intensity of the cyclone are measured to predict the height of the storm surge coming. 9. How have human behaviors made cyclones more dangerous? (1 pt) Humans are making cyclones more dangerous because coastal populations in hazard zones are growing incredibly fast. The increased number of people will cause evacuation to take longer, perhaps new residents are inexperienced with cyclone safety. Along with the growing populations comes more debris in stormwater, causing more damage. 10. Which geographic regions have the highest risk for hurricane-strike probabilities? (1 pt) Areas with highest risk for hurricanes are coastal areas with warm offshore waters, like the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf Stream....