Hurricanes
What causes hurricanes?Copyright Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Navy_050709-N-0000B-004_Hurricane_Dennis_batters_palm_trees_and_floods_parts_of_Naval_Air_Station_(NAS)_Key_West%5Ersquo,s_Truman_Annex.jpg
Students learn what causes hurricanes and what engineers do to help protect people from destruction caused by hurricane winds and rain. Research and data collection vessels allow for scientists and engineers to model and predict weather patterns and provide forecasts and storm warnings to the public. Engineers are also involved in the design and building of flood-prevention systems, such as levees and floodwalls. During the 2005 hurricane season, levees failed in the greater New Orleans area, contributing to the vast flooding and destruction of the historic city. In the associated activity, students learn how levees work, and they build their own levees and put them to the test!
Scientists and engineers create mathematical models that help predict when and where hurricanes might hit coastal regions. This information helps save lives by providing warning to citizens so that they can evacuate the area well in advance. Civil engineers further protect residents by building infrastructure, such as levees, to prevent flooding during hurricanes. Furthermore, when civil engineers design roads, buildings and bridges in coastal regions, they must take into account the potential for hurricanes so that their structures can withstand high-force winds.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Explain what a natural disaster is.
- Explain what a hurricane is and how it is formed.
- List three technologies that engineers use to prevent flooding due to hurricanes.
- Describe a levee and where it might be used.