Types of Precipitation

Types of Precipitation

​Each of those factors are observable and are used to determine the weather in a particular time and place. Precipitation is a big part of weather!

​

1. RAIN - falling drops of liquid water

2. SNOW - small white ice crystals formed directly from the water vapor of the air

3. SLEET - rain that freezes as it falls

4. HAIL​ - forms when drops of rain freeze and strong winds carry them higher into a cloud

​FOUR TYPES of PRECIPITATION

​Precipitation that does fall as solid ice drops is either sleet or hail. Knowing the other weather conditions helps to determine whether the solid drops of falling ice are sleet or hail.

​

Sleet is formed when the air temperature is cold.

• If there is solid ice falling as precipitation on a cold day, it is sleet.​

• Sleet falls during the WINTER

  ​

Hail is formed when the air temperature is warm.

• If there is solid ice falling as precipitation on a cold day, it is sleet.​

• Hail falls during the summer.​

​

​

​SLEET and HAIL

Multiple Choice

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

In a class experiment, Abel observed snow under a microscope.  

How is the snow different from the rain you see outside?

• snow is water in solid form

• snow is not water

• snow is water in liquid form

• snow is water in gas form 

Multiple Choice

Precipitation is water that falls to Earth. Hail, rain, sleet, and snow are four types of precipitation. Which type of precipitation is most likely to occur when the cloud and air temperatures are below freezing?

• rain 

• hail 

• sleet

• snow

Multiple Choice

Precipitation occurs when water moves from the atmosphere to Earth’s surface. The water can be in liquid or solid form. Which two forms of precipitation consist of solid water?

•    hail and rain

• hail and sleet

• rain and snow

• sleet and rain

Multiple Choice

Which of these best shows the correct sequence that forms sleet?

• rain falls --> freezes --> melts

• snow falls --> melts --> stays melted

• snow falls --> melts --> freezes again

• rain falls --> freezes --> gets blow backup --> melts --> falls again --> refreezes --> repeats multiple times

Multiple Choice

Which of these best shows the correct sequence that forms hail?

• rain falls --> freezes --> melts

• snow falls --> melts --> stays melted

• snow falls --> melts --> freezes again

• rain falls --> freezes --> gets blow backup --> melts --> falls again --> refreezes --> repeats multiple times

Multiple Choice

Jack measures the outside temperature as 16 degrees Celsius (°C), 61 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). She observes precipitation falling from the clouds in a solid form.

 

What type of precipitation is Jack most likely observing?

• hail

• rain

• sleet

• snow

Multiple Choice

A team of scientists in Lee County wanted to understand how rainfall affects the local toad population. To better understand this relationship, they conducted an investigation that showed that for every inch of rain Naples received in a month, the toad population decreases by 20%. Before other scientists trust these results, what needs to happen first?

• The original team of scientists needs to study how the rain affects other insects first.  

• Other scientists need to replicate the original investigation and get the same results.

• Other scientists need to determine how temperature affects mosquitos in Naples first

• The original team of scientists needs to double-check their math. 

Multiple Choice

Which claim BEST explains why some balls of hail have layers?

• Water that freezes high in the atmosphere always forms layers.

• Raindrops freeze from the inside out, forming one layer of ice at a time.

• Cracks form layers in the ball of hail when the hail hits the ground.

• Each time a ball of hail goes up and down within a thundercloud, a layer of ice is added.

Multiple Choice

What is the point at which water freezes (both in F and C)?

• 212 F & 100 C

• -459 F & -273 C

• 32 F & 0 C

• -108 F & -78 C

Multiple Choice

What type of precipitation is shown here?

• rain

• snow

• hail

• sleet

Multiple Choice

What is happening at STEP B?

• The frozen hail ball is picking up a layer of liquid water in the warm air

• A new layer of ice is forming around the frozen hail ball in the cold air

• The frozen hail ball is too heavy and falls to the ground

• The frozen hail ball is melting as it falls through the warm air

Multiple Choice

Which day is it MOST LIKELY to snow?

• Monday

• Wednesday

• Thursday

• All Days

Multiple Choice

Jenny measures the outside temperature as 16 degrees Celsius, 61 degrees Fahrenheit. She observes precipitation falling from the clouds in a solid form.

What type of precipitation is Jenny MOST LIKELY observing?

• Hail

• Rain

• Sleet

• Snow

Multiple Choice

In a class experiment, Jody observed snow under a microscope. Jody drew the diagram shown here to show what she observed.

How is the snow in Jody's diagram different from rain you see outside?

• Jody's snow is not water

• Jody's snow is water in liquid form

• Jody's snow is water in solid form

• Jody's snow is water in gaseous form

Multiple Choice

How can students improve their investigation to make their results more reliable?

• They should open bags of other candy, like Skittles, to make sure their results make their M&M data

• They should open more bags of M&M's to make sure their results are as reliable as possible

• They should open bags of Peanut M&M's to make sure their results are accurate across all types of M&M's

• One bag is enough, they can be sure that all bags of M&M's have the same numbers of each color

Multiple Choice

If precipitation falls from the clouds, what type of precipitation will most likely fall to the ground?

• rain

• hail

• snow

• sleet

Multiple Choice

Precipitation occurs when water moves from the atmosphere to Earth's surface. The water can be in liquid or solid form. Which two forms of precipitation consist of solid water?

• hail and rain

• hail and sleet

• rain and snow

• sleet and rain

Multiple Choice

Which answer BEST explains why the precipitation was different?

• It can only snow in the United States, in all other countries it rains

• In other countries, water freezes at a different temperature than in the United States

• Three other countries had similar data, which means the scientists in the United States made a mistake when collecting their data

• The scientists in the other countries use Celsius thermometers and the scientist in the United States use Fahrenheit thermometers

Multiple Choice

According to the weather forecast seen here, which day is it MOST LIKELY to rain?

• Sunday

• Monday

• Thursday

• Saturda

Multiple Choice

Which of these BEST shows the correct sequence that forms sleet?

• rain falls ---> freezes ---> melts

• snow falls ---> melts ---> stays melted

• snow falls ---> melts ---> freezes again

• rain falls ---> freezes ---> gets blow backup ---> melts ---> falls again ---> refreezes ---> repeats multiple times

Multiple Choice

The illustration here shows what a piece of hail can look like on the inside. Which claim BEST explains why some balls of hail have layers?

• Water that freezes high in the atmosphere always forms layers

• Raindrops freeze from the inside out, forming one layer of ice at a time

• Cracks form layers in the ball of hail when the hail hits the ground

• Each time a ball of hail goes up and down within a thundercloud, a layer of ice is added

Multiple Choice

Precipitation is water that falls to the Earth. Hail, rain, sleet, and snow are four types of precipitation. Which type of precipitation is most likely to occur when the cloud and air temperatures are above freezing?

• Rain

• Hail

• Sleet

• Snow

Multiple Choice

water vapor changes to a liquid

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail

Multiple Choice

stones cycle up through clouds and get bigger and bigger

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail

Multiple Choice

formed in storm clouds

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail

Multiple Choice

falls as liquid water to Earth's surface

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail

Multiple Choice

precipitation falls in the form of flakes

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail

Multiple Choice

crossing the freeze line causes a change

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail

Multiple Choice

raindrops are pushed up by updrafts and freeze

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail

Multiple Choice

can also be freezing

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail

Multiple Choice

can be too cold for this type of precipitation to occur

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail

Multiple Choice

water droplets fall from a cloud and freeze as they fall down

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail

Multiple Choice

precipitation falls in the form of solid ice chunks or stones

• rain

• snow

• sleet

• hail