Rain cycle

• The water vapor is then transported by the wind to another location where it condenses into clouds.
• As the cloud continues to grow, some of the water droplets become heavy enough to fall back down as precipitation.
• Clouds can form when warm, moist air rises and cools down.
• Water droplets or ice crystals are formed from the moisture in the air as it reaches its dew point temperature.
• Precipitation can take many forms such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail depending on various factors like temperature and altitude.
• When enough water droplets have accumulated, they fall back to Earth as precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet, hail, or freezing rain.
• Water vapor from evaporation or transpiration enters the atmosphere through plant leaves and soil pores.
• Once the precipitation reaches the ground, it either evaporates again or flows into bodies of water through streams, rivers, lakes, or oceans.
• This process completes the hydrologic cycle, with the water being recycled over and over again.
• Warm air holds more moisture than cold air, so warmer temperatures increase the amount of water vapor that can be held in the air.
• Precipitation occurs when the weight of the water droplets becomes too great for them to remain suspended in the atmosphere.
• Humidity refers to the amount of water vapor present in the air at any given time.
• In areas with high rainfall, there may be more vegetation growth due to increased soil moisture levels.
• Rainfall patterns vary depending on factors such as latitude, altitude, prevailing winds, ocean currents, and topography.
• Rain occurs when the temperature is above freezing (32°F) and the water droplets are large enough to fall under gravity.
• Snow occurs when the temperature is below freezing (32°F) and the water droplets freeze upon contact with the ground.
• Hailstones occur when there is strong upward motion within thunderstorm clouds that causes ice pellets to be carried upwards and collide with other ice particles.
• Rainfall occurs when there is an excess amount of water vapor in the atmosphere that has been lifted upwards due to rising air currents.
• Hailstones are formed when strong upward drafts carry water droplets high into the sky, allowing them to freeze and collide with other frozen particles.
• Snowfall happens when the atmospheric conditions are cold enough for the water droplets to freeze instead of evaporating.
• The sun's energy warms up the surface of the earth, causing water bodies to release water into the atmosphere.
• Carbon dioxide is absorbed by plants during photosynthesis and released into the atmosphere.
• Evaporation occurs at the surface of the ocean, while transpiration happens through the stomata of plants.
• Transpiration refers to the process whereby water moves out of the roots of plants and upwards through their stems towards the leaves.
• The amount of water that falls as precipitation is determined by the rate at which water vapor condenses into liquid form.
• Other factors influencing precipitation rates include geographic features such as mountains, valleys, and coastlines.
• Factors affecting this rate include atmospheric conditions such as humidity, wind speed, and pressure differences between different layers of the atmosphere.
• The higher the elevation, the cooler the temperature, which means less water vapor is able to stay suspended in the air.
• As warm moist air rises, it expands due to lower atmospheric pressure at high altitudes.
• Expansion causes the air to cool down until its temperature drops below the dew point, causing condensation nuclei (dust particles) to attract water molecules and form clouds.
• The temperature at which this happens is called the dew point.
• The higher the humidity level, the greater the likelihood of rainfall.
• If the temperature drops below the dew point, condensation will occur and form clouds.
• Air temperature is another factor affecting precipitation levels.
• Water moves from one form to another during its journey around the Earth's surface.
• The equatorial region receives heavy rainfall throughout the year due to warm, moist air rising from the surface.
• As warm air rises, it cools and condenses into clouds.
• The water cycle is also known as the hydrological cycle because it involves the movement of water between different forms such as liquid, solid (ice), and gas (water vapor).
• The process by which precipitation falls from clouds involves the formation of ice crystals through sublimation or deposition, followed by melting into liquid drops that eventually reach the ground.
• The size of hailstones depends on how long they remain suspended in the cloud and how many times they collide with other ice particles.