Instructions
Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. For multiple-choice questions, circle the letter of the best answer. For short answer questions, write your answer on the line provided.
Tornado Quiz: The Science and Geography of Twisters
1. What is the name of the scale used to measure the intensity and damage of a tornado?
- A) Richter Scale
- B) Saffir-Simpson Scale
- C) Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale
- D) Beaufort Scale
2. The region in the central United States where tornadoes are most frequent is commonly known as:
- A) Hurricane Highway
- B) Tornado Alley
- C) Cyclone Corridor
- D) The Dust Bowl
3. True or False: Tornadoes always rotate in a clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere.
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4. For a tornado to form, warm, moist air needs to collide with cool, dry air. This collision often creates a powerful, rotating thunderstorm known as a what?
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5. A tornado warning is issued by meteorologists when...
- A) Conditions are right for a tornado to form.
- B) A tornado has been spotted on the ground or indicated by weather radar.
- C) A thunderstorm is developing.
- D) It is the spring season.
6. What is the name for a rotating column of air that is connected to a cloud but has not yet touched the ground?
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7. True or False: The center of a tornado, called the eye, has extremely low air pressure.
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8. While the USA experiences the most tornadoes, which other country is also known for having a significant number of tornadoes each year?
- A) Brazil
- B) Egypt
- C) Canada
- D) Japan
9. If you are in a house without a basement during a tornado, where is the safest place to take shelter?
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10. A tornado that forms over water is called a:
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Answer Key
- C) Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale
- B) Tornado Alley
- False. Most tornadoes (about 98%) rotate counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Supercell
- B) A tornado has been spotted on the ground or indicated by weather radar.
- Funnel cloud
- True
- C) Canada
- In an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows (such as a bathroom or closet).
- Waterspout