Water in the AtmosphereAbout 0.001% of the total water in the Earth is contained in the atmosphere. This small amount of water has a great effect on the processes that occur in the atmosphere, including cloud formation and precipitation. The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere is called the relative humidity. Dew point is the temperature at which air becomes saturated. Water vapor typically condenses as a dew, frost, clouds, or fog. When water droplets suspended to dust, salt, and other particulates, it is called a cloud. The warm air that rise will eventually cools and then condenses, which form clouds. Clouds are classified based upon the height at which they form and the shape that they take. Different types of cloud will be shown below.
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Fog and Three Basic Cloud Formation
Fog• A cloud that is near or touching the ground
• Form when warm ,moist air passes over land • Form when the ground cools at night, cooling the humid air immediately above the ground to the dew point. |
Stratus Clouds
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Cumulus Clouds
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Cirrus Clouds
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Other Clouds
Nimbostratus• Low stratus clouds that produce steady and widespread rain or snow
• Nimbo: Cloud produces precipitation |
Altostratus• Middle-level clouds
• Often form a layer that covers most of the sky • Alto: 2000~6000meters |
Cumulonimbus
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The most common types of precipitation are rain, snow, hail, sleet, and freezing rain