8

Science
Learners Module

Unit 2 Module 2

This instructional material was collaboratively

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Education at action@deped.gov.ph.
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Department of Education
Republic of the Philippines

Science Grade 8
Learners Module
First Edition, 2013
ISBN: 978-971-9990-72-7
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Published by the Department of Education
Secretary: Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC
Undersecretary: Yolanda S. Quijano, Ph.D.

Development Team of the Learners Module

Authors: Pia C. Campo, May R. Chavez, Maria Helen D.H. Catalan, Ph.D.,
Leticia V. Catris, Ph.D., Marlene B. Ferido, Ph.D., Ian Kendrich C. Fontanilla,
Ph.D., Jacqueline Rose M. Gutierrez, Shirley R. Jusayan, Michael Anthony B.
Mantala, Cerilina M. Maramag, Marie Paz E. Morales, Ph.D., Eligio C. Obille,
Jr., Digna Paningbatan, Genevieve Faye Pasamonte, Ma. Dulcelina O.
Sebastian, Rolando M. Tan, and Rodolfo S. Treyes, Ph.D.
Reviewers: Ernelea P. Cao, Ph.D., Josefina Ll. Pabellon, Ph.D., Ma. Cristina
D. Padolina, Ph.D., Risa L. Reyes, Ph.D., and Merle C. Tan, Ph.D.
Illustrators: Alvin J. Encarnacion, Ma. Laura V. Ginoy, Rizaldo Ramoncito S.
Saliva, and Andrew F. Torres
Layout Artist: Cecile N. Sales

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Unit 2: Earth and Space
Page
Module 2. Understanding Typhoons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...........
1
What is a Typhoon? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
........
1
Philippine Area of Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
........
3
Activity 1: Plotting the
PAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
Under What Conditions Do Tropical Cyclones Form?
.................
5
Activity 2: Tracking a tropical cyclone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.......
7
Inside Tropical Cyclones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.........
8
Activity 3: Dissecting a typhoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.......
9
Are You Prepared? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
........
10

UNIT 2
Earth and Space

Module 2
Understanding Typhoons

NASA Earth Observatory

Suggested time allotment: 9 hours

Unit 2
MODULE

UNDERSTANDING
TYPHOONS

Overview
Every year the Philippines is hit by typhoons. No part of the country is spared.
All provinces have been visited by a typhoon at one time or another. In recent years,
the Philippines had been overwhelmed by powerful tropical cyclones.
Who could forget the terrible flood brought by Tropical Storm Ondoy in 2009?
Or the people swept out to sea during Tropical Storm Sendong in 2011? Or the poor
community of New Bataan buried in mud spawned by Typhoon Pablo in 2012?
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical
Services Administration (PAGASA), about 20 tropical cyclones enter the Philippine
Area of Responsibility each year. We have to be knowledgeable about tropical
cyclones if we want to prevent the loss of more lives.

Why is the Philippines prone to typhoons?

What conditions favor the formation of typhoons?

What is a Typhoon?
We all know what a typhoon is. Or more accurately, we know what to expect
when a typhoon comes. We get a lot of rain and strong winds. Now, you may not
have noticed it but the winds in a typhoon move in a certain direction. They go
around a central area. Take a look at Figure 1.

Figure 1. A supertyphoon as seen from high above the

Earth; at the center is the eye of the supertyphoon.
Image by NASA Earth Observatory

The picture shows a supertyphoon as viewed from up above the Earth. A

typhoon looks the same, only smaller. See the clouds in a spiral arrangement? They
are being blown by winds in a counter-clockwise direction. In a supertyphoon, the
wind speed is greater than 200 kilometers per hour (kph).
If the wind speed is less, from 119 to 200 kph, then it is called a typhoon. If
the wind speed is between 65 and 118 kph, it is called a tropical storm. And when the
wind speed is between 35 to 64 kph, it is a tropical depression.

Tropical depression, tropical storm, typhoon, and supertyphoon are

categories of tropical cyclones (Table 1). In simple terms, a tropical cyclone is a
system of thunderstorms that are moving around a center. As the winds intensify or
weaken, the category is upgraded or downgraded accordingly.

Table 1. Tropical Cyclone Categories

Category

Maximum Wind Speed

kilometers per hour (kph)

Tropical Depression

64

Tropical Storm

118

Typhoon

200

Supertyphoon

greater than 200

The term typhoon is used only in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean.
In the northeastern part of the Pacific Ocean and in the northern part of the Atlantic
Ocean, the equivalent term is hurricane. Thus, a hurricane on one side of the Pacific
Ocean will be called a typhoon if it crosses into the other side.
In the Philippines, we use the same word for all categories of tropical
cyclones. We call it bagyo whether it is a tropical depression, a tropical storm or a
typhoon.
(At this point, your teacher will give a demonstration.)

Philippine Area of Responsibility

When a weather disturbance enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility
(PAR), the weather bureau begins to monitor it. Do you know where the PAR is? Do
the following activity to find out.

Activity 1
Plotting the PAR
Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1.

read map,

2.

given the latitude and longitude of a tropical cyclone, tell if it has entered
the Philippine Area of Responsibility, and

3.

explain what is meant when a typhoon has entered the Philippine Area
of Responsibility.

Materials Needed:
map of the Philippines and vicinity
pencil

Procedure:
1.

Plot the following points on the map below (Figure 2).

Points

Latitude, Longitude

a.

5N, 115E

b.

15N, 115E

c.

21N, 120E

d.

25N, 120E

e.

25N, 135E

f.

5N, 135E

28
27

Mainland China

26
25

Taiwan

24
23
22
21
20
19
18

PACIFIC OCEAN

17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5 Borneo
4

115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135

Figure 2. Map of the Philippines and vicinity

2.

Connect the plotted points. The region within is the Philippine Area of
Responsibility or PAR. It is the job of PAGASA to monitor all tropical cyclones
that enter this area.

Q1.

If a typhoon is located at 15N, 138E, is it within the PAR?

Q2.

How about if the typhoon is at 19N, 117E, is it inside the PAR?

Under What Conditions do Tropical Cyclones Form?

Shown below are the tracks (paths) of four tropical cyclones that entered the
PAR in the past years. The tracks were plotted by PAGASA. Study the maps and
answer the following questions.

Figure 3. Tracks (paths) of selected tropical cyclones

Where did the tropical cyclones form? On land or in the ocean?

What can you say about the temperature of the bodies of water in the vicinity
of the Philippines? Is the water warm or cold?
In what direction did the tropical cyclones move?
Which part of the Philippines was hit by the four tropical cyclones?
In the case of Agaton, Yoyong, and Huaning, where did they die out? Near
land or in the middle of the ocean?

Tropical cyclones need water vapor in order to form. Which is a better source
of water vapor, landmasses or oceans? The answer is obvious. But not all parts of
the ocean can provide water vapor. Where do you think would evaporation be
greatest, near the equator or away from the equator?
Thus, tropical cyclones require warm ocean waters to be able to develop.
According to scientists, the temperature of ocean water must be 26.5C or greater.
Given this information, do you think typhoons can form in latitudes away from the
equator? Why or why not?
From the maps, you can see that tropical cyclones generally move in a
northwest direction. The reason is because there are large-scale winds that push the
tropical cyclones in that direction. This is similar to the way a whirlpool is carried
along by a flowing stream.
As you can observe, all four tropical cyclones struck the northern part of the
Philippines. Now you know why the southern part of the Philippines is often
untouched by tropical cyclones. Where do you think should a tropical cyclone form so
it would hit the Mindanao area?
Three of the tropical cyclones mentioned above weakened and died out near
land. Agaton dissipated in Luzon, Yoyong in Taiwan, and Huaning near Mainland
China. This means that when tropical cyclones reach land, they die out because they
are cut off from the warm ocean waters that keep them going.
Now you know where tropical cyclones start to form, why they form there, and
in what direction they generally move. Can you now explain why the Philippines is
prone to typhoons?
In the following activity, you will try your hand in tracking a tropical cyclone as
it enters and leaves the PAR.

Activity 2
Tracking a tropical cyclone
Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1.

determine if your location is in the path of a tropical cyclone, given the

latitude and longitude position and

2.

explain why PAGASA regularly monitors when a tropical cyclone is

within PAR.

Materials Needed:
map with the PAR (from Activity 1)
tracking data
pencil

Procedure:
1.

Use the latitude and longitude (lat-long) in the table below to track the location
of Sendong. Plot each lat-long pair on the map with the PAR.
Date: 13-19 DEC 2011
Tropical Storm Sendong (International name: Washi)
Month/Day/Time
12/13/06
12/13/12
12/14/18
12/14/00
12/14/06
12/14/12
12/14/18
12/15/00
12/15/06
12/15/12
12/15/18
12/16/00
12/16/06
12/16/12
12/16/18
12/17/00
12/17/06
12/17/12
12/17/18
12/18/00

Latitude (N)
6.00
6.40
6.00
5.90
6.20
6.70
7.00
7.20
7.60
7.70
7.50
7.40
8.00
8.40
8.50
9.10
9.20
9.60
10.20
10.90
7

Longitude (E)
145.10
143.30
141.70
140.60
139.00
137.70
136.30
134.30
132.30
130.80
129.10
128.10
126.80
125.50
123.80
122.40
121.50
120.40
119.00
117.60

Month/Day/Time
12/18/06
12/18/12
12/18/18
12/19/00
12/19/06
12/19/12

Latitude (N)
10.30
9.90
9.60
9.10
9.70
10.50

Longitude (E)
115.70
114.60
113.90
112.90
111.90
110.70

Tracking data are from

http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/w_pacific/2011H/index.php

Q3.

Where did Sendong form?

Q4.

When did Sendong enter the PAR?

Q5.

When did Sendong leave the PAR?

Q6.

In what direction did Sendong move?

Sendong started out in the Pacific as an area of low pressure. Because it was
just a low-pressure area, it was not given a name. Then it intensified into a tropical
depression. Again it was not yet given a name because it was still outside the PAR.
When it finally entered the PAR, it had already strengthened into a tropical
storm. Since it was within the PAR by then, PAGASA gave it a nameSendong
from its prepared list. Internationally, the tropical storm was called Washi.
Sendong brought hours of torrential rains to Mindanao. Some places received
more than 200 mm of rain. Because of the excess rain, flash floods and landslides
took place. Nearly a thousand people were killed, many in the cities of Cagayan de
Oro and Iligan. Damage to houses, roads, and bridges reached up to 2 billion pesos.
After the Sendong disaster, who would have thought that another tropical
cyclone would again hit Mindanao the following year. Tropical cyclone Pablo
(international name, Bopha) was so strong it was categorized as a supertyphoon.
Clearly, we need to learn about tropical cyclones in order to survive.

Inside Tropical Cyclones

One thing about tropical cyclones that we should watch out for are the strong
winds. Let us now take a peek inside a tropical cyclone and find out in which part
would we experience strong winds.

Activity 3
Dissecting a tropical cyclone
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Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1.

explain what two weather factors tell weathermen that a certain location
is at the eye of a tropical cyclone; and

2.

put in simple words the statement calm before the storm.

Materials Needed:
weather data (air pressure and wind speed)

Procedure:
1.

Figure 1 consists of two illustrations. The top one shows a tropical cyclone as
seen at an angle. White rain bands move around the center or eye. The
bottom illustration shows a cross-section of a tropical cyclone. It is like slicing
it in half and looking at it from the side.

Figure 4. (Top) View of a tropical cyclone at an angle.

(Bottom) Cross-section of a typhoon.

Q7.

Location A is within the eye of the tropical cyclone. B, C and D are locations
that are more and more distant from the eye. The air pressure at the different
locations are:
Location
Air pressure*
in millibars (mb)

930

960

980

990

*Air pressure refers to the weight of air over a certain area.

Compare the air pressures at A, B, C and D. What do you notice?

Q8.

Location E is within the eye of the tropical cyclone. Location F is within the
clouds surrounding the eye. The clouds at F make up the eyewall. The wind
speed at the two locations are:

Location
Wind speed (km/hour)

10

200

Compare the wind speed within the eye and at the eyewall. What can you
say?

As you have learned from the activity, the lowest air pressure is at the eye of
a tropical cyclone. In fact, all tropical cyclones have low air pressure at the center.
This is the reason why the air in the surroundings move toward the eye. Recall in
Grade 7 that air moves toward low-pressure areas.
You also learned that at the eye of a tropical cyclone, wind speed is low. But
in the dense clouds surrounding the eye, at the eyewall itself, the wind speed is
great. When newspapers report that a tropical cyclone has sustained winds of 200
km/hour, for instance, they are referring to the winds at the eyewall.
When the eye of a tropical cyclone passes over a certain place, it is the winds
at the eyewall that wreak a lot of damage. As it approaches, one side of the eyewall
brings strong winds blowing in one direction. Then comes the eye with its somewhat
calm weather. As it leaves, the other side of the eyewall brings strong winds again,
but this time in the opposite direction.

Are You Prepared?

When a tropical cyclone enters the PAR and it is on its way toward land,
warning signals are issued. The following signals are used by PAGASA to warn
people about the approaching weather disturbance. Do you know what the signals
mean?

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PUBLIC STORM WARNING SIGNALS (PSWS)

PSWS # 1
What it means
A tropical cyclone will affect the locality
Winds of 30-60 kph may be expected in at least 36 hours or
irregular rains may be expected within 36 hours
The following may happen
Twigs and branches of small trees are broken
Some banana plants are tilted or downed
Some houses of very light materials partially unroofed
Rice crops suffer significant damage in its flowering stage
What to do
Watch out for big waves
Listen to severe weather bulletin issued by PAGASA
PSWS # 2
What it means
A tropical cyclone will affect the locality
Winds of greater than 60 kph up to 100 kph may be expected in at least 24
hours
The following may happen
Large number of nipa and cogon houses may be partially or totally unroofed
Some old galvanized iron roof may be peeled off
Winds may bring light to moderate damage to exposed communities
Some coconut trees may be tilted while few are broken
Few big trees may be uprooted
Many banana plants may be downed
Rice and corn may be adversely affected
What to do
Avoid riding in small seacraft
Those who travel by sea and air should avoid unnecessary risks
Postpone outdoor activities of children
PSWS # 3
What it means
A tropical cyclone will affect locality
Winds of greater than 100 kph to 185 kph may be expected in at least 18
hours

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The following may happen

Many coconut trees broken or destroyed
Almost all banana plants downed and a large number of trees uprooted
Rice and corn crops suffer heavy losses
Majority of all nipa and cogon houses uprooted or destroyed; considerable
damage to structures of light to medium construction
Widespread disruption of electrical power and communication services
Moderate to heavy damage experienced in agricultural and industrial sectors
What to do
Avoid riding in any seacraft
Seek shelter in strong buildings
Evacuate from low-lying areas
Stay away from coasts and river banks
PSWS # 4
What it means
A very intense typhoon will affect locality
very strong winds of more than 185 kph maybe expected in at least 12 hours
The following may happen
Coconut plantation may suffer extensive damage
Many large trees maybe uprooted
Rice and corn plantation may suffer severe losses
Most residential and institutional buildings of mixed construction maybe
severely damaged
Electrical power distribution and communication services maybe severely
disrupted
Damage to affected communities can be very heavy
What to do
All travels and outdoor activities should be cancelled
Evacuation to safer shelters should have been completed by now
The locality is very likely to be hit directly by the eye of the typhoon.
To be fully prepared for tropical cyclones, you should also put together an
emergency kit which includes the following: drinking water, canned goods, can
opener, radio, flashlight, extra batteries, clothes, blanket, and first aid kit. You never
know when you will need it. You must learn how to rely on yourself. In times of
disaster, it may take a while before help arrives.

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References and Links

Tarbuck, E.J., & Lutgens, F.K. (2004). Earth Science (10th ed.). First Lok Yang Road,
Singapore: Pearson Education (Asia) Pte Ltd.
HTTP://WWW.PAGASA.DOST.GOV.PH/
HTTP://WWW.READY.GOV/HURRICANES
HTTP://WWW.NOAAWATCH.GOV/THEMES/TROPICAL.PHP
HTTP://WEATHER.UNISYS.COM/HURRICANE/W_PACIFIC/2011H/INDEX.PHP
HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/TROPICAL_STORM_WASHI
HTTP://PEOPLE.CAS.SC.EDU/CARBONE/MODULES/MODS4CAR/TROPCYCL/IN
DEX.HTML

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