Precipitation
Name all the types of precipitation.
Rain, sleet, snow, hail
Cloud condensation nuclei
What happens to air temperature as altitude increases in the atmosphere?
What source of heat energy heats up liquid water on Earth and causes evaporation?
the Sun
Liquid water turning into water vapor.
Evaporation
What is the only liquid type of precipitation?
Rain
What is the scientific name for storm clouds?
Cumulonimbus clouds
Does cold air rise or sink? Does hot air rise or sink? Why?
Cold air sinks and warm air rises due to the density of particles. Cold air is more dense so it sinks, warm air is less dense so it rises.
This type of air pressure is usually associated with sinking air, fewer clouds, and clear weather.
high pressure
Water vapor turning into liquid water.
Condensation
This type of precipitation forms when strong updrafts carry water droplets high into cold air, where they freeze and grow larger before falling to the ground.
hail
Name three things that can act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN).
Sand, dust, pollen, dead skin cells, volcanic ash, salt from ocean water, etc.
What effect do strong updrafts have on hailstones?
The stronger the updrafts, the bigger the hailstones
This type of air pressure is usually associated with rising air, cloud formation, and stormy weather.
low pressure
The amount of water vapor in the air.
Humidity
What would keep precipitation from falling to the ground?
An updraft with a stronger upward force than the weight of the precipitation trying to fall
What three CONDITIONS are necessary for cloud formation?
1. Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)
2. Warm water vapor rising, then cooling to turn into liquid or ice (condensation or deposition)
3. High humidity (100%)
Why can't hail form in the winter?
You need a big temperature difference between the air close to the ground and the air higher up in the atmosphere. In the winter, the ground temperature is not warm enough.
This type of heat transfer happens when warm, less dense material rises and cool, more dense material sinks.
convection
An upward movement of warm, less dense air is called this
Updraft
What force pulls down on precipitation in clouds?
gravity
Why do we see clouds?
Because when water vapor condenses into liquid water it becomes visible (because it reflects sunlight)
What three things create a storm?
High humidity, warm ground temperatures, very cold atmospheric temperatures (difference in temps between the ground and atmosphere)
What forms when warm air rises and is replaced by cooler air at Earth's surface?
wind
gas turning directly into a solid (skipping the liquid phase)
deposition