Humidity and Rainfall

Question 1

what is precipitation

Answer 1

water falling from the atmosphere to earth as rain snow frost or hail

Question 2

what is the most common form of precipitation

Answer 2

rain

Question 3

what is high rainfall

Answer 3

above 1500mm per year

Question 4

what is low rainfall

Answer 4

below 250mm per year

Question 5

what is precipitation related to

Answer 5

humidity

Question 6

what is relative humidity

Answer 6

proportion of water vapour in air compared to maximum it can hold

Question 7

how is relative humidity expressed

Answer 7

percentage

Question 8

what is the formula for relative humidity

Answer 8

actual water vapour divided by maximum water vapour times 100

Question 9

when is air saturated

Answer 9

when relative humidity is 100 percent

Question 10

what is dew point temperature

Answer 10

temperature at which air becomes saturated

Question 11

when does condensation occur

Answer 11

when temperature falls to dew point or below

Question 12

what does saturation vapour pressure curve show

Answer 12

maximum water vapour air can hold at different temperatures

Question 13

which air holds more moisture

Answer 13

warmer air

Question 14

how can unsaturated air reach saturation

Answer 14

by adding water vapour or cooling

Question 15

how can evaporation lead to saturation

Answer 15

adding water vapour to air

Question 16

how can cooling lead to saturation

Answer 16

reducing capacity of air to hold water vapour

Question 17

what is the relationship between temperature and relative humidity

Answer 17

inverse relationship

Question 18

what happens to relative humidity when temperature increases

Answer 18

it decreases

Question 19

what happens to relative humidity at night

Answer 19

it increases

Question 20

what is condensation

Answer 20

water vapour changing to liquid by cooling

Question 21

what is released during condensation

Answer 21

latent heat

Question 22

what are condensation nuclei

Answer 22

tiny particles like dust smoke sea salt

Question 23

what is required for condensation

Answer 23

condensation nuclei

Question 24

what happens when condensation nuclei are abundant

Answer 24

condensation occurs more easily at lower humidity

Question 25

what can relative humidity be when condensation occurs with many nuclei

Answer 25

as low as 75 percent

Question 26

what are clouds made of

Answer 26

water droplets ice crystals or both

Question 27

what are cumulonimbus clouds

Answer 27

tall rain bearing clouds associated with thunderstorms

Question 28

what is convectional rainfall

Answer 28

rain formed by rising warm air due to heating

Question 29

where is convectional rainfall common

Answer 29

tropical regions

Question 30

what causes convectional rainfall

Answer 30

intense heating of ground

Question 31

what type of rain does convectional rainfall produce

Answer 31

torrential short duration localised rain

Question 32

what hazard can convectional rainfall cause

Answer 32

flash floods

Question 33

what happens to air when heated

Answer 33

it rises and expands

Question 34

what happens to rising air

Answer 34

it cools

Question 35

what happens when air cools to dew point

Answer 35

condensation occurs

Question 36

what clouds form in convectional rainfall

Answer 36

cumulonimbus clouds

Question 37

what happens when droplets become heavy

Answer 37

rain falls with thunder and lightning

Question 38

what is orographic rainfall

Answer 38

rain formed when air rises over mountains

Question 39

what is another name for orographic rainfall

Answer 39

relief rainfall

Question 40

how does orographic rainfall form

Answer 40

moist air is forced to rise over high land

Question 41

what happens to air as it rises over mountains

Answer 41

it expands cools and condenses

Question 42

where does rainfall occur in orographic rainfall

Answer 42

windward slope

Question 43

what happens on the leeward side

Answer 43

air descends warms and becomes dry

Question 44

what is a rain shadow

Answer 44

dry area on leeward side of mountain

Question 45

why does rain shadow occur

Answer 45

air loses moisture before descending