SCIENCEDan Manns

Adiabatic temperature changes and expansion and cooling

When temperature changes even though there has been no changes to the heat.

It happens because air gets compressed and is allowed to expand.

Orographic lifting

Orographic lifting is when elevated land, like mountains, act like a barrier to air flow.

Frontal wedging

Frontal wedging is when cooler, denser air acts as a barrier over which the warmer less dense air rises.

Convergence

Convergence is whenever air in the lower atmosphere flows together lifting results.

Localized convective lifting Pockets of air being warmed more than

the surrounding air.

Stability

If a volume of air was forced to rise, its temperature would drop because of expansion.

If this volume of air was cooler than the surrounding environment, it would be denser, and if allowed to do so, it would sink to its original position.

Condensation

When water vapor in the air changes to a liquid.

Types of clouds

Types of clouds are based on their shape and height

Cirrus Cumulus Stratus

High clouds

There are three high cloud types: Cirrus Cirrostratus cirrocumulus

Middle clouds

Middle clouds are about 2,000-6,000 All middle clouds have alto before their

name.

Low clouds

Stratus clouds are the clouds that usually cover most of the sky. Sometimes they produce precipitation.

Nimbostratus create most of the precipitation.

Clouds of vertical development

Clouds of vertical development have low bases but extend upward.

Fog

Fog is physically the same as a cloud. Fog is the result of radiation cooling or

the movement of air over a cold surface. Fog is on the ground.

Cold cloud precipitation (Bergeron process) The Bergeron process relies on

supercooling and supersaturation. Water that is below o degrees Celsius is

supercooled. When air is saturated it is

supersaturated.

Warm cloud precipitation

In warm clouds, clouds are formed by the collision-coalescence process.

Some water absorbing particles can remove water vapor from the air when it is not saturated.

Rain and snow

Rain is a drop of water that falls from a cloud and has a diameter of at least 0.5 mm.

When the temperature is low, snow is made up of six sided ice crystals.

Sleet, glaze, and hail

Sleet is particles falling of clear ice. Glaze happens when raindrops become

supercold. Hail is smalls ice pellets.