Precipitation

Question 1

What is the diameter of water droplets in cloud?

Answer 1

0.02mm

Question 2

What is the diameter of drizzle?

Answer 2

0.2mm

Question 3

What is the diameter of heavy rain?

Answer 3

5.5mm

Question 4

What is the diameter of hail?

Answer 4

Can reach much larger diameters

Question 5

Will water droplets freeze at -10 in the atmosphere?

Answer 5

Not necessarily

Question 6

What are super cooled water droplets (SCWD)?

Answer 6

Water droplets that are not frozen which are below 0 degrees. Can reach as low as -40

Question 7

What is needed for water droplets to freeze?

Answer 7

A freezing nuclei

Question 8

SCWD can turn into ice if they come in contact with ice particles. True or False?

Answer 8

True

Question 9

What are the 2 theories for the formation of precipitation?

Answer 9

Bergeron Theory

Coalescene Theory

Question 10

What is a rough description of Bergeron Theory?

Answer 10

Droplets form above and below 0 degrees. With height there is a mixture of Ice and SCWD. Ice crystals absorb SCWD by collision and grow in size. At the top of the cloud only ice crystals. Cannot be supported by up currents and fall growing in size. They melt as they fall and fall as rain drops

Question 11

Roughly describe coalescence theory

Answer 11

Rain drops form as a result of collision between tiny water droplets and grow in size until the up drafts can’t support them. They descend within the cloud growing and fall as rain.

Question 12

What is the problem with coalescence theory?

Answer 12

Vertical air currents in the clouds tend to be uniform and condense together ascending at the same speed not colliding like the theory suggests

Question 13

2 categories of precipitation are?

Answer 13

Solid or water

Question 14

What are the 5 types of precipitation?

Answer 14

Snow
Hail
Sleet
Rain 
Drizzle

Question 15

The types of rain are associated with the way in which they form. What way does rain form?

Answer 15

F rontal
O rographic
C onvection
T urbulence

Question 16

The intensity of rainfall is categorised as

Answer 16

Light
Moderate
Heavy

Question 17

The duration of rain (dependent on its cloud type) is classified as

Answer 17

Short
Intermediate
Continuous

Question 18

Drizzle/ freezing drizzle/ snow grains are associated with what Cloud type?

Answer 18

Stratus (St) or Strato-cumulus (Sc)

Question 19

Continuous rain or snow is associated with what type of cloud?

Answer 19

Thick Altostratus (As)
Nimbostratus

Question 20

Intermittent rain or snow is associated with what type of cloud?

Answer 20

Thick Altostratus (As)
Stratocumulus (Sc)

Question 21

Rain or snow showers are associated with what type of cloud?

Answer 21

Alto-cumulus (Ac)
Cumulus (Cu)
Cumulonimbus (Cb)

Question 22

Hard or soft hail is associated with which type of cloud?

Answer 22

Cumulonimbus (Cb)