Question

The high wind speeds in a tornado arise from a very steep horizontal pressure gradient. The minimum air pressure in a tornado can be as much as ______ percent lower than the air pressure surrounding the system.

a) 10%
b) 25%
c) 50%
d) 75%

Answer 1

The minimum air pressure in a tornado can be as much as a. 10% lower than the air pressure surrounding the system which contributes to the tornado's high winds.

Step-by-step explanation:

The high wind speeds in a tornado are indeed a result of a very steep horizontal pressure gradient. The pressure inside a tornado can be significantly lower than the surrounding atmospheric pressure. Specifically, the minimum air pressure in a tornado can be as much as 10% lower than the air pressure surrounding the system. This large pressure difference is what drives the extremely high winds within a tornado, which can reach speeds as high as 500 km/h (approximately 300 miles/h), especially near the base where the funnel is at its narrowest.

The high wind speeds in a tornado arise from a very steep horizontal pressure gradient. The minimum air pressure in a tornado can be as much as 50% lower than the air pressure surrounding the system. Tornadoes produce wind speeds as high as 500 km/h (approximately 300 miles/h), particularly at the bottom where the funnel is narrowest because the rate of rotation increases as the radius decreases.