In 1993 the radius of Hurricane Emily was about 350 km.The wind speed near the center (“eye”) of the hurricane, whose radiuswas about 30 km, reached about 200 km/h. As air swirled in from therim of the hurricane toward the eye, its angular momentum remainedroughly constant. Estimate (a) the wind speed at the rim of the hurricane;(b) the pressure difference at the earth’s surface between the eyeand the rim. Where is the pressure greater?(c) If the kinetic energy of the swirling air in the eye could be convertedcompletely to gravitational potential energy, how high would the air go?(d) In fact, the air in the eye is lifted to heights of several kilometers.How can you reconcile this with your answer to part (c)?
In 1993 the radius of Hurricane Emily was about 350 km.
The wind speed near the center (“eye”) of the hurricane, whose radius
was about 30 km, reached about 200 km/h. As air swirled in from the
rim of the hurricane toward the eye, its
roughly constant. Estimate (a) the wind speed at the rim of the hurricane;
(b) the pressure difference at the earth’s surface between the eye
and the rim. Where is the pressure greater?
(c) If the kinetic energy of the swirling air in the eye could be converted
completely to gravitational potential energy, how high would the air go?
(d) In fact, the air in the eye is lifted to heights of several kilometers.
How can you reconcile this with your answer to part (c)?
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