Arellano University Andres Bonifacio Campus

RESEARCH IN SCIENCE
In partial fulfillment of all the requirements in Finals in Earth Science.

Prepared by: Darlyn Ann B. Santiago To be submitted to: Ms. Edna Barnachea

B. THUNDERSTORM A thunderstorm starts by being pushed upwards due to one of a variety of forces acting on it. These forces include solar insulation, which can heat up the ground beneath the thunderstorm and produce thermals. The thermals cause the clouds to rise high into the air. Another possible way in which a thunderstorm can begin to be pushed upwards is if the fledgling storm is in an area where multiple directions of wind all converge and force the air to rise, bringing the clouds with it. As the thunderstorm begins to rise into the atmosphere, the moisture that its clouds contain begins to cool off and change phase from gas (clouds) to liquid water. When the water undergoes this transformation, cumulus clouds are formed giving rise to the name of the first stage of thunderstorm formation. Also, as the water begins to condense into a liquid, some heat is released which warms the surrounding air, producing an updraft as a result of convection. The updraft caused by the cooling water particles creates a low pressure zone directly beneath the thunderstorm and further contributes to rising thunderheads that are so often associated with a mature thunderstorm. This pattern of rising and cooling continues until the storm reaches the mature stage.

C. LIGHTNING In a clear calm atmosphere, electric charge is fairly uniform in the atmosphere. During a thunderstorm, due to the physical processes going on within and around a cloud, areas of the cloud build certain types of charge. The cloud to ground type of lightning, the most interesting and frightening, happens when a negative charge builds up in low levels of a cloud. The surface of the Earth is positively charged. Since these opposite charges attract, when the negative charge builds to a large enough point in the cloud to overcome air resistance, it rushes towards Earth's surface (stepped leader) and a positive charge rushes up from the ground to meet it. When these two charges meet, positive charge is transferred to the cloud, and a flash of lightning, visible to the human eye, is born.

D. THUNDER Thunder is caused by lighting, which is a current of electrons from a negative pole to a positive one the current use an ionized channel of air that has little electrical resistance. Thunder is the rapid expansion of air as a result of warming caused by the electrical current. When the positive and negative charges meet the positive charge goes up to the cloud and the light appears. But the lightning takes up space and it disappears so fast that all the air around it just collapses together and makes a noise. It is somewhat like someone clapping their hands. The return stroke has a temperature of about 100,000 degrees Fahrenheit (5 times the temperature of the sun). The air around the return stroke will rapidly warm. As the air warms it will also rapidly expand and compressing the air around itself. As the expansion continues the air produces a sound wave which we hear as thunder.

E. TORNADO A tornado begins in a severe thunderstorm called a super cell. A super cell can last longer than a regular thunderstorm. The same property that keeps the storm going also produces most tornadoes. The wind coming into the storm starts to swirl and forms a funnel. The air in the funnel spins faster and faster and creates a very low pressure area which sucks more air (and possibly objects) into it. The severe thunderstorms which produce tornadoes form where cold dry polar air meets warm moist tropical air. This is most common in a section of the United States called Tornado Alley. Also, the atmosphere needs to be very unstable. Tornadoes can form any time during the year, but most form in May. But, more severe ones form earlier because the most damage is caused in April. The more north you go, the later the peak tornado season is. This is because it takes longer to warm the northern parts of the plains so tornadoes form later.

F. HURRICANE A tropical thunderstorm can grow into a massive hurricane under certain conditions. Sometimes several thunderstorms start rotating around a central area of low pressure. This is called a tropical depression. If the depression strengthens so that winds reach at least 39 mph, it is called a tropical storm. And if wind speeds increase to more than 74 mph, it is called a tropical cyclone or hurricane. Once formed, hurricanes take energy from the warm ocean water to become stronger. A storm will strengthen if there is a supply of warm, moist air to feed it. Warm, moist air is found above warm, tropical ocean waters. While a hurricane is over warm water it will continue to grow. A hurricane dies when it moves away from the tropics. When a hurricane moves into areas with cooler ocean water, it weakens. It will also weaken if it travels over land. The rotation of the storm is due to the Coriolis Effect, a product of the Earth's rotation. This causes the air being drawn into the central low pressure to curve. The air rises as it rotates. This rising air, which is saturated with water, cools and condenses, forming clouds. Hurricanes do not occur within 300 miles (500 kilometers) of the equator because there is no Coriolis Effect at the equator.

A. CHART This is my own observation of clouds in on week every morning.

DATE CLOUDS WEATHER
RELATIONSHIP OF CLOUDS AND WEATHER

October 9, 2011

Cumulonimbu s

Rainy

The clouds indicates precipitation thats why it rain.

October 10, 2011

Stratus clouds

There are low thin layer of clouds that allowed the sun rays to pass.

Sunny
The clouds are so thick that they cover the sun ray thats why it became cloudy. Thick low clouds allowed the sun rays to pass.

October 11, 2011 October 12, 2011

Cumulus clouds

Cloudy Sunny

Stratocumulus

October 13, 2011

Cumulonimbu s

The clouds indicated precipitation thats why it rain.

Rainy

Bagyong Ramon entered the PAR during this day Thick low clouds allowed the sun rays to pass.

October 14, 2011

Sunny Stratocumulus

October 15, 2011

Cumulus clouds

Cloudy

The clouds are so thick that they cover the sun rays thats why it became cloudy

Sources: Earth Science 2010 edition; www.google.com