Tornadoes 101 - Nat Geo

What are powerful, spinning columns of air that stretch from the ground to the clouds?

• hurricanes

• tornadoes

• typhoons

• cyclones

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Which country has the greatest overall number of tornadoes each year, in addition to the most intense tornadoes?

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• United Kingdom

• Mexico

• Canada

• United States

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Tornadoes are classified as either _________ or ___________ tornadoes.

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• • super cell or non-super cell

  
  

• • super duper or non-super duper

  
  

• • single cell or non-single cell

  
  

• • super hero or non-super hero

  
  

What is special about the formation of super cell tornadoes?

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• • Warm, low pressure air is forced up into higher levels of the atmosphere while warm, low pressure air is near the ground.

  
  

• • Cool, high pressure air is forced up into higher levels of the atmosphere while warm, low pressure air is near the ground.

  
  

• • Warm, low pressure air is forced up into higher levels of the atmosphere while cool, high pressure air is near the ground.

  
  

• • There is no difference between super cell and non-super cell tornadoes.

  
  

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

What is true about the formation of all tornadoes? (check all that apply)

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• • Updrafts are needed.

  
  

• • Air moves from High Pressure to Low Pressure areas.

  
  

• • Vortices (plural of vortex) have to connect the ground to the clouds.

  
  

• Air moves from Low Pressure to High Pressure areas.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

How is a tornado rated?

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• • On the Saffir-Simpson Scale based on wind speed and damage done.

  
  

• • On the Enhanced Fujita Scale based on wind speed and damage done.

  
  

• • On the Enhanced El Nino Scale based on wind speed and damage done.

  
  

• • On the Enhanced Fiji Scale based on wind speed and damage done.

  
  

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

What tornadoes are the strongest?

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• EF 0

• EF 2

• EF 4

• EF 5

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Describe one of the strongest tornadoes ever recorded.

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• • It occurred in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1999.

  
  

• It was an EF 5 tornado.

• • It had wind speeds over 300 mph.

  
  

• • It resulted in 36 deaths, 600 injured, and 1 billion dollars in damage.

  
  

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Scientists continue to study tornadoes by monitoring storm fronts in high risk areas in order to lessen damage and save lives.

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• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2