Clouds & Their Formation

Question 1

A cloud consists of?

Answer 1

Condensed water vapor, ice and dust (aerosols) (dust, pollen, sea salt bc water stuck to them)

Question 2

Three Main Types of Clouds:

Answer 2

Cumulus
Stratus
Cirrus

Question 3

Requirements for Cloud Formation:

Answer 3

Condensation Nuclei

Saturated air

Question 4

Condensation Nuclei:

Answer 4

Small suspended particles or aerosols which the water vapor condenses on (dust, pollen, sea salt)

Question 5

Sublimation:

Answer 5

Solid to gas (skip liquid)

Question 6

Deposition:

Answer 6

Gas to solid

Question 7

Evapotranspiration:

Answer 7

Plants give off water as waste

Question 8

Steps in Cloud Formation:

Answer 8

1) As air rises it expands (less pressure on it bc air is thinner)
2) Air cools without any energy input (adiabatically)
3) It reaches dew point and the water vapor condenses

Question 9

Sinking air:

Answer 9

Compresses and warms

Question 10

What can form if the atmospheric temperature is below 0c?

Answer 10

Ice crystals

Question 11

Dew:

Answer 11

Water condenses on ground surface

Question 12

Frost:

Answer 12

Water condenses and freezes on surface

Question 13

Fog:

Answer 13

Cloud at ground level

Question 14

When will it rain?

Answer 14

Water droplets coalesce (grow together) and get too heavy to stay in the air - so they fall as rain

Question 15

Types of Precipitation:

Answer 15

Rain
Drizzle
Freezing rain
Sleet
Hail
Snow

Question 16

Freezing Rain:

Answer 16

Reaches a cold pocket of air and freezes upon contact with a surface

Question 17

Sleet:

Answer 17

Snow and rain mixed

Question 18

Hail:

Answer 18

Ice spheres that begin in a cloud as snow or rain and melt and gather moisture as they fall

Severe weather (thunderstorms), requires certain situation