Clouds & Cloud Formation
What tiny particles in the air help water vapor form cloud droplets?
Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)
What happens to a hailstone if the upward force of the updraft is stronger than the weight of the hailstone?
It gets pushed upward
What is the name for liquid water turning into water vapor?
Evaporation
What is it called when warm air rises and cold air sinks, creating a circular movement of air?
Convection Currents
What do we call the boundary where two different air masses meet?
A front
What is it called when water vapor wants to go up into the atmosphere because of the ground being warmed by the sun?
Evaporation
What happens to a hailstone when it becomes too heavy for the updraft to hold it?
It falls to the ground as hail
When water vapor cools and changes back into liquid droplets, what process is this?
Condensation
In which two places do convection currents typically occur?
Water and air
What type of weather does a low pressure system typically bring?
Cloudy, stormy, rainy, and snowy. (Bad weather)
Name three types of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) that water vapor wants to stick to.
What force pushes hail upward inside a storm cloud?
An updraft
Why might puddles evaporate quickly on a hot sunny day?
Heat energy from the Sun
What happens to colder air in a convection current?
It sinks toward the ground.
What type of weather does a low pressure system typically bring?
Clear skies, sunny (Good weather)
What type of cloud is tall, dark, and often brings thunderstorms?
Cumulonimbus Clouds
A hailstone weighs 1 oz and the updraft pushes upward with 2 oz of force. What happens to the hailstone?
It rises upward
What stage of the water cycle forms clouds?
Condensation
How does the density of warm air compare to cold air?
Warm air is less dense, cold air is more dense
Which region of the United States experiences hailstorms most often?
Middle United States
How does the temperature of air higher in the atmosphere usually compare to air near the ground?
Air higher up is colder (and more dense)
Air near the ground is warmed (and less dense)
A hailstone weighs 6 oz and the updraft pushes upward with 5.5 oz of force. What happens to the hailstone?
It falls to the ground
What does precipitation start falling out of clouds as all the time, even if it reaches the ground as rain?
Snow
What is the upward movement of warm air in a convection current called?
Updraft
What might happen to a warm pocket of air as it rises high into the atmosphere?
It cools and eventually sinks back down