What is precipitation? Phases of water in the air Cloud formation © Copyright 2012. University of...
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Transcript of What is precipitation? Phases of water in the air Cloud formation © Copyright 2012. University of...
What is precipitation?What is precipitation?
• Phases of water in the air
• Cloud formation
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
PRECIPITATION AND CLOUDSPRECIPITATION AND CLOUDS
What is precipitation?What is precipitation?
Precipitation is part of the water cycle, where water vapour in the atmosphere returns to a solid or liquid state and falls to the Earth.
Precipitation includes things like rain, snow and hail.
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
evaporation
condensation
precipitationconvection
waterwatervapour
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
Precipitation processesPrecipitation processes
Most temperate-zone precipitation starts off as snow!
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
Where does our rain originate?
Water vapour is transported and concentrated in the atmosphere by vertical and horizontal motion
evaporation
convection
advection
precipitation
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
Water vapour transportWater vapour transport
VapourInvisible but detectableWater in a gaseous stateVapour/steam
DropletsVisible as rainForm when air becomes saturated via the process of condensation
Ice particlesAt temperatures below 0°CHail often found at warmer ground surface temperatures
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
Phases of water in the airPhases of water in the air
Ice particlesIce particles
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
Wellington fog
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
Cumulus cloudsEdward Hyde
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
Clouds at Cape Hallett, Antarctica
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
cold cloudspart/all above 0°C isotherm
ice droplets
Clouds are mixtures of droplets and ice particles
0°C isotherm
warm cloudstemp. > 0°C
droplets
glaciated cloudstemp. < –40°C
ice
mixed clouds
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz
CloudsClouds
Cumulonimbus – a mixed cloudPhilip Norton
© Copyright 2012. University of Waikato. All rights reserved. | www.sciencelearn.org.nz