Monday, June 13, 2011

IGCSE - Extreme Weather Question.

Starting with the phrase "high sea temperature', use your knowledge and the diagram to explain the formation of a cyclone

High sea temperatures make the air particles rise up into the air because they are heated and placed under a massive amount of pressure this is done by convection currents. The Air particles then gain energy leading to more particles rising, they gain this energy through latent heat energy which gives them massive amounts of kinetic energy. Latent heat energy is found when the water molecules change state and 'fuel' the cyclone with the energy they create through the change of state. When the air particles are rushing upwards they move from a low pressured area creating a vortex, this causes the cyclone to spin, as well as the Coreolis Effect.