Question

A tornado rips through your college next spring (luckily on a holiday when no one is on

campus). The tornado destroys brick buildings and leaves no bricks or debris on the
foundations. What time of day would it most likely have occurred?
(a) 6:00 A.M.
(b) 12:00 P.M.
(c) 6:00 P.M.
(d) 12:00 A.M.

Answer 1

Tornadoes are more likely to occur in the late afternoon to early evening when atmospheric conditions like instability and wind shear are maximized. The destructiveness described, where no debris is left, indicates a strong tornado which could occur at any time if conditions are right, but late afternoon remains the most probable time frame.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks about the most likely time a tornado would occur if it were to destroy buildings without leaving bricks or debris on the foundations. While tornadoes can occur at any time of the day or night, there are patterns in the times that they are most likely to occur, based on atmospheric conditions. One key factor that influences the development of thunderstorms, which can produce tornadoes, is atmospheric instability, which often increases with the heating of the day.

Referencing Figure 10.1 from the provided material, tornadoes are mentioned to have raw destructive power capable of blowing away houses and even piercing tree trunks with straw due to their high wind speeds. These winds are generated from clouds in funnel-like shapes, spinning violently and capable of reaching speeds as high as 500 km/h.

Typically, the warmest part of the day, when the sun has heated the Earth's surface, contributes to the instability of the atmosphere, which enhances the chance of severe thunderstorms that can lead to tornado formation. Therefore, tornadoes are more likely to occur in the late afternoon to early evening time frame. However, given the specifics of the provided case - a tornado leaving no bricks or debris - this might be indicative of a particularly strong and clean path of destruction which could happen regardless of the time of day if the conditions are right.

In conclusion, while tornadoes can occur at any time, the most likely time of day they would happen based on atmospheric science would be the late afternoon to early evening periods such as around 6:00 P.M. when the atmospheric conditions such as instability and wind shear are often at their peaks.