Cloud Formation and Precipitation

Question 1

what is the adiabatic principle?

Answer 1

as a gas expands it cools down, as it is compressed it warms up

Question 2

as a gas ________ it cools down

Answer 2

expands

Question 3

what happens when a gas expands?

Answer 3

it cools down.

Question 4

as a gas ________ it warms up

Answer 4

compresses

Question 5

when a gas compresses it…

Answer 5

warms up

Question 6

the temperature change of gas is based solely on __________

Answer 6

increase or drecrease of pressure

Question 7

in the atmosphere as you increase in _________ the ________ decrease

Answer 7

altitude, pressure

Question 8

what happens when you increase in altitude?

Answer 8

pressure drops

Question 9

why doe pressure drop when you increase in altitude?

Answer 9

you have less atmosphere above you

Question 10

as air rises it….

Answer 10

expands and cools down

Question 11

as air sinks it..

Answer 11

is compressed and warms

Question 12

what is the dry adiabatic rate?

Answer 12

as dry air raises it cools at a particular rate, 10 celsius per 1000m

Question 13

what is the wet adiabatic rate?

Answer 13

if you have a wetter parcel of air and it rises it cools down at a slower rate. 5 celsius per 1000m

Question 14

why does wet air cool slower?

Answer 14

because all of the moisture in that air is condensing as it cools down and the process of condensation release heat

Question 15

the wet adiabatic rate increases….

Answer 15

condensation

Question 16

an increase of condensation in the atmosphere causes what to form?

Answer 16

clouds

Question 17

_____ air has to rise higher then ______ air in order for clouds to form

Answer 17

dry, wet

Question 18

clouds form when water vapor ______ in rising air parcels

Answer 18

condenses

Question 19

condensation requires…

Answer 19

the presence of particles (like dust) suspended int he air

Question 20

what are the presence of parties suspended in the air called?

Answer 20

condensation nuclei

Question 21

what do condensation nuclei allow the air to do?

Answer 21

glom on to nuclei and form coherent rain or water droplets.

Question 22

what are the four families clouds are grouped into?

Answer 22

high, middle, low, and clouds with vertical development

Question 23

what are the two classes of clouds?

Answer 23

stratiform, cumuliform

Question 24

what are the two classes of clouds based on…

Answer 24

their shape

Question 25

stratiform are ______ clouds

Answer 25

layered

Question 26

cumuliform are _________ clouds

Answer 26

globular

Question 27

moisture-laden clouds release moisture as…

Answer 27

precipitation

Question 28

in order to form precipitation there must be something that..

Answer 28

causes air to rise int he atmosphere so that it cools down enough to reach its dew point

Question 29

what are the four ways that air moves upward to form precipitation

Answer 29

1. orographic precipitation
2. convectional precipitation
3. cyclonic precipitation
4. convergence

Question 30

how does orographic precipitation occur?

Answer 30

when air is forced to move up because of the presence of a mountain

Question 31

As moist air _______ it expands and _______

Answer 31

rises, cools

Question 32

once moist air hits its dew point what happens?

Answer 32

condensation occurs, and clouds starts to form

Question 33

when air is forced to move up because of the presence of a _______ it is called orographic precipitation

Answer 33

mountain

Question 34

how does convection precipitation occur?

Answer 34

forms when warm, moist air heats up near a hot surface, as the air rises it starts to cool back down, and starts to form clouds

Question 35

convectional precipitation and orographic precipitation are methods that cause air to ______ in the atmosphere

Answer 35

rise

Question 36

where do thunderstorms form?

Answer 36

in extremely unstable air conditions, where the environmental lapse rate exceeds wet adiabatic rates,

Question 37

air where thunderstorms form is __________

Answer 37

humid

Question 38

when very humid air rises it remains ______ than the surrounding air

Answer 38

warmer

Question 39

what kind of clouds to thunderstorms form in?

Answer 39

vertically developing clouds