Latest Lists

List and describe the processes necessary to induce precipitation.?

This is a question asked in my physical science study guide, yet its no where to be found in the book and the internet is no help to me. Please somebody help me!!!

Public Comments

  1. This is a direct quote from the Internet. Precipitation In order for water vapor to condense, certain conditions are needed. The air must cool down. This can occur in several different ways. It can come in contact with a colder surface; it can radiate heat; it can mix with colder air; or it can expand as it rises upward. The other ingredient that is needed is condensation nuclei. This provides a surface for condensation to occur. These particles can be dust, salt, sulfate, or nitrate particles (these form acid rain) in the air. Scientists have seeded clouds to enhance nucleation and produce needed rain. Silver iodide crystals are put into clouds to provide a surface for condensation to occur. In some instances, water vapor can condense and form water droplets (homogenous nucleation), but this is rare. The type of precipitation that forms depends on the air temperature. If this is above the freezing point, rain forms. If the air temperature is below 0°C, snow forms. Updrafts in a cloud move rain droplets around. As they collide, they collect and get larger. When the drop gets too heavy to stay in up the cloud, it falls to the Earth. Small droplets of rain (less than .02 cm in diameter) are called drizzle. Drops larger than these are called rain. When much larger drops of rain fall, they fall apart into smaller drops by vibrations caused by friction with the air. Hail forms in a tall cloud with strong updrafts. An ice crystal or frozen raindrop moves though the cloud collecting water droplets. As the hailstone rises up in the cloud, the outer layer freezes. When it falls downward, it gathers more water droplets. This circulation process continues until the hailstone falls to the ground. When you cut a hailstone in half, you can see rings. Like rings in a tree, they can tell the hailstone's history of formation. Some hailstones can reach the size of a softball. These can be very damaging to crops, animals, cars, and other property.
  2. There are different things that can cause precipitation. I'll try to go over the different types quickly: Convectional precipitation: Occurs in warm regions (like equatorial regions year-round, or in places like North America during the warmer months). Because it's hot, damp air rises fairly quickly. As it rises, it cools down, and water vapor condenses into liquid water droplets, which falls as rain. Orographic precipitation: damp air is pushed up something like the side of a mountain, and can't easily pass over it. This air is pushed upwards, so it cools and the water vapor condenses, forming rain. There's also cyclonic precipitation, but I honestly don't remember much about that kind. Sorry!
  3. to sum it up sun heats water water evaporates into tiny particles raises and gathers into clouds when there is enough particles that it is too heavy it falls back to earth that's why it looks like a cloud is falling when you see it rain in the distance because it is
Powered by Yahoo! Answers