vocabulary
any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface
Precipitation
flat, gray clouds that cover most of the sky, fog is also a type of this cloud, and this cloud usually covers all or most of the sky like a blanket and blocks out most direct sunlight
stratus
Ice that has been deposited directly from the air onto a cloud surface
frost
The percentage of of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount the air could hold
relative humidity
clouds that form in flat layers
stratus
an open ended can or tube that collects rainfall
Rain Gauge
white, puffy clouds with flat bottoms, cumulonimbus clouds start as these types of clouds
cumulus
water that condenses from the air onto a cold surface
dew
An instrument used to measure relative humidity, consisting of a wet-bulb thermometer and a dry- bulb thermometer
Psychrometer
wispy, feathery clouds
cirrus
A water shortage caused by long periods of low precipitation in a particular area
drought
huge, tall cloud cloud that starts as a cumulus cloud, they also start thunderstorms
cumulonimbus
Temperature at which condensation begins
dew point
The process by which molecules of water vapor in the air become liquid water
condensation
The process by which molecules at the surface of a liquid, such as water, absorb enough energy to change to a gaseous state, such as water vapor
evaporation
high, wispy cloud made of ice crystals
cirrus
Process by which molecules of water vapor become liquid water
condensation
The temperature of which condensation begins
dew point
a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air
humidity
these clouds may produce rain or snow
Nimbostratus
What cause the clouds to form on the windward side of the mountain
The cooling of humid air as it rises up over the mountain causes condensation and cloud formation
Clouds that form less than 2 kilometers above the ground and look like fluffy, rounded piles of cotton
cumulus