Types and evolution of Precipitation

Question 1

List the 2 processes involved in the formation of precipitation.

Answer 1

Bergeron effect

Collision process

Question 2

What are the 4 different terms applied to the Collision process?

Answer 2

Coalesence: liquid to liquid
Aggregation: Solid to solid
Accretion: Solid and liquid
Fragmentation: Breaking up of ice crystal or large water droplets.

Question 3

What are the 4 key points about the bergeron process?

Answer 3

Occurs at temperatures below zero
Water droplets and ice crystals co exist
Water vapor evaporates from water droplets more easily than ice particles
Ice crystals grow at the expense of water droplets.

Question 4

what are the 3 key points about the collision process?

Answer 4

It applies to clouds at altitudes above freezing
Needs to be a variety of different size condensation nuclei
Upon collision droplets coalesce into a bigger droplet

Question 5

Stability is the measure of:

Answer 5

the tendency of air that has been lifted or lowered to return to its original level or equilibrium position.

Question 6

List the 3 factors that explain the intensity of precipitation

Answer 6

Updraft strength
Cloud water content
Cloud vertical thickness

Question 7

The water content of the cloud is related to both the:

Answer 7

temperature of the cloud and the moisture source available for evaporation.

Question 8

The vertical thickness of a cloud is important for 2 reasons:

Answer 8

The air must be warm in order to hold a lot of water vapor and ice crystals are required to produce precipitation. the cloud top therefore must extend above the freezing level.