To accompany feature ‘Cool Jobs: The power of wind’

SCIENCE

Before reading:

1.    How can wind be destructive or dangerous to people? Have you ever experienced this?

2.    How can wind be helpful to people?

During reading:

1.    How does a tornado start?

2.    If a tornado totally flattened your house, what score would it get on the Enhanced Fujita scale?

3.    How has climate change altered tornado patterns in the U.S.?

4.    Which months usually have the most tornadoes?

5.    What is a wind tunnel?

6.    Name some types of models that engineers might test in a wind tunnel.

7.    How does pressure-sensitive paint help engineers study wind?

8.    What is a wind turbine?

9.    Why doesn’t wind hit all the turbines on a wind farm at the same speed?

10.   How might lidar help people operate wind turbines?

After reading:

1.    What are some ways scientists might be able to keep people safer by learning about wind?

2.    How can studying wind help scientists fight the climate change that’s caused by greenhouse gases?