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Moisture in the Atmosphere. What makes a Cloud?. Moisture Reduction in pressure or temperature causing condensation. Condensation nuclei - small particles in the atmosphere around which cloud droplets can form. Dust Salt Smoke. Cloud Formation.
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What makes a Cloud? • Moisture • Reduction in pressure or temperature causing condensation. • Condensation nuclei - small particles in the atmosphere around which cloud droplets can form. Dust Salt Smoke
Cloud Formation • Orographic lifting occurs when wind encounters a mountain and the air has no place to go but up. • The air expands and cools resulting in cloud formation.
Cloud Formation • Cloud formation occurs with the collision of air masses (fronts) of different temperatures. • As fronts collide clouds form
Weather Map • Warm air rises quickly and forms cumulonimbus clouds and thunderstorms (Sometimes tornados)
Stability • How rapidly any given mass of air cools determines its stability. • Stability is the ability of an air mass to resist rising. • Latent heat is stored energy in water vapor that is not released to warm the atmosphere until condensation takes place.
How to Classify Clouds based on Height • Cirro – 6000 m or higher • Alto – 2000m to 6000m • Strato – below 2000m
How to Classify Clouds based on Shape • Cirrus – Thin and Wispy • Latin – hair • Cumulus – Puffy-flat bottom • Latin – pile or heap • Stratus – Sheet like • Latin – layer • Nimbus - Rain • Latin - Cloud
Water Cycle • The constant movement of water between the atmosphere and Earth’s surface. • Evaporation – liquid to gas • Condensation – formation of water droplettes • Precipitation- Rain • (Evapo)transpiration- plants loose water through stomata