How Thunderstorms Form - Explanation Text

1. What are the three stages of thunderstorm formation?

• The developing stage, the maturing stage, and the dissipating stage

• The developing stage, the advancing stage, and the dissipating stage

• The beginning stage, the mature stage, and the ending stage

• The forming stage, the developed stage, and the dissipating stage

2. What happens to warm, moist air during the developing stage of a thunderstorm?

• It moves downward

• It becomes cooler

• It moves upward in an updraft

• It remains stationary

3. How does a cumulus cloud continue to grow during the developing stage?

• By shrinking in size

• By absorbing less moisture

• By having less warm air rising from below

• By having warm air rising from below

4. What are some ways that an updraft of warm, moist air can form?

• By sinking down a mountain

• By avoiding a weather front

• By cooling down in the atmosphere

• By being forced up a mountain or at a weather front

5. What causes a cloud to start looking dark and grey during the developing stage?

• The presence of less moisture in the atmosphere

• The presence of more moisture in the atmosphere

• The absence of warm air rising from below

• The absence of cool air flowing downward

6. When do raindrops start to fall through a cloud during the developing stage?

• When the rising air can no longer hold them up

• When the cloud starts to shrink in size

• When the air near the ground becomes cooler

• When the moisture in the air condenses into water droplets

7. What is a downdraft during the developing stage of a thunderstorm?

• A horizontal movement of air

• A vertical movement of air

• A movement of air in a circular pattern

• A movement of air in a straight line

8. What is a cumulonimbus cloud?

• A cloud that starts as a cumulus cloud but then disappears

• A cloud that forms when the atmosphere becomes very dry

• A cloud that forms during the mature stage of a thunderstorm

• A cloud that forms when a thunderstorm cell has an updraft, downdraft, and rain

9. How does lightning form during the developing stage of a thunderstorm?

• By the build-up of electric charges within the cloud

• By the presence of cool, dry air

• By the absence of warm, moist air

• By the absence of rain

10. How long does it take for an ordinary thunderstorm to complete the whole process?

• Several hours

• One day

• One hour

• Half an hour