WorksheetsREVIEW: Unit 8: Clouds and Precipitation (GS)
Total questions: 125
Worksheet time: 1hrs 3mins
Which statement best distinguishes water in its solid state from its liquid state at standard pressure?
Liquid water has variable shape and variable volume
Liquid water has fixed shape and variable volume
Solid water has variable shape and fixed volume
Solid water has fixed shape and fixed volume
At what temperature does pure water transition to water vapor under standard atmospheric pressure?
50°C during warm evaporation
0°C during freezing at sea level
212°C during condensation at altitude
100°C during boiling at sea level
Which process requires net energy input to the water system?
Deposition of vapor directly to ice
Freezing of liquid water to ice
Condensation of vapor to liquid
Evaporation of liquid to vapor
What molecular behavior characterizes water vapor compared to liquid water?
Molecules move very quickly and spread far apart
Molecules move slowly but remain tightly packed
Molecules lock into a rigid lattice and vibrate
Molecules stay close while rotating in place
Which pair correctly matches the change of state with energy direction shown in the diagram?
Melting releases heat to environment
Condensation absorbs heat from environment
Sublimation absorbs heat from environment
Deposition absorbs heat from environment
Ice forming on a cold windshield overnight is an example of which process?
Condensation of vapor to liquid
Deposition of vapor to solid
Sublimation of solid to vapor
Freezing of liquid to solid
A puddle shrinks on a cool, breezy day below 100°C. Which explanation fits?
Evaporation occurs below boiling point
Boiling requires less energy than evaporation
Condensation converts vapor back to liquid
Freezing converts liquid directly to vapor
Which statement about liquid water is accurate?
Takes container shape, definite volume
Has fixed shape and fixed volume
Has no definite shape or definite volume
Spreads far apart, indefinite volume
Choose the correct sequence of energy change for water going from ice to vapor without becoming liquid.
Sublimation with heat absorption
Condensation with heat release
Deposition then condensation
Freezing with heat absorption
A sealed chamber cools water vapor until droplets form. What change occurs and why?
Melting as molecules lock into lattice
Sublimation as molecules disperse widely
Evaporation as molecules gain kinetic energy
Condensation as molecules lose kinetic energy
Which scenario illustrates energy being released to the environment?
Ice sublimates in dry air
Liquid water evaporates from a lake
Water vapor condenses into dew
Liquid water boils at sea level
Why does ice have a definite shape while liquid water does not?
Liquid molecules are electrically neutral
Solid molecules occupy fixed positions
Solid molecules experience zero motion
Gas molecules have strong attractions
Which statement best defines humidity in atmospheric science?
Maximum possible water vapor in air
Rate of condensation occurring in air
Actual amount of water vapor in air
Percentage of liquid water droplets in air
Relative humidity compares which two quantities at a given temperature?
Condensation rate to wind speed
Actual vapor to air capacity
Liquid water to cloud cover
Evaporation rate to solar input
Which formula correctly expresses relative humidity as a percentage?
Actual vapor ÷ capacity × 100
Capacity ÷ actual vapor × 100
Actual vapor × capacity ÷ 100
Capacity − actual vapor × 100
What does 100% relative humidity indicate?
Air temperature is at freezing point
Air has no water vapor present
Air contains half of its vapor capacity
Air holds as much vapor as possible
On a warm day with the same water vapor as a cool day, why might humidity feel lower?
Warm air blocks solar radiation better
Warm air reduces wind-driven evaporation
Warm air can hold more water vapor
Warm air contains fewer aerosols overall
If the air temperature drops indoors without adding moisture, what happens to relative humidity?
It increases because capacity shrinks
It decreases because capacity expands
It becomes zero due to condensation
It stays constant regardless of temperature
Why does winter air often feel dry to your skin?
Cold air accelerates sweat production
Cold air increases indoor air pressure
Cold air holds little moisture
Cold air blocks ultraviolet radiation
Heating cold outdoor air indoors without humidification typically causes what change?
Condensation forms on all surfaces
Actual water vapor increases greatly
Relative humidity rises slightly
Relative humidity drops sharply
Which outcome is commonly associated with very dry winter indoor air?
Reduced need for skin moisturizers
Faster cloud formation indoors
Enhanced plant transpiration rates
Static shocks and scratchy throats
What role does evaporation play in how sweating cools the body?
Evaporation increases blood circulation
Evaporation absorbs heat from skin
Evaporation releases heat to skin
Evaporation blocks heat from sunlight
Which statement explains why sweating is less effective on hot, humid days?
Air is almost full of water vapor
Skin produces less sweat at high temperatures
Wind speed always decreases in heat
Salt in sweat prevents evaporation
Two cities have the same actual water vapor. City A is 30°C, City B is 10°C. Which city likely reports higher relative humidity?
City B because capacity is lower
City A because capacity is higher
Neither city because humidity is unrelated
Both cities because vapor is equal
During exercise, which action would most improve cooling on a humid day?
Reducing fluid intake to limit sweat
Moving to a breezy shaded area
Drinking warm sugary beverages
Wearing more insulating layers
A meteorologist notes RH fell from 60% to 30% after turning on the heater without adding moisture. What best explains this drop?
Capacity increased while vapor stayed same
Actual vapor decreased due to rain
Temperature decreased and caused condensation
Wind removed indoor vapor entirely
Which statement best defines the dew point?
Index combining temperature with wind speed
Percentage showing air filled compared to capacity
Temperature air reaches for 100% relative humidity
Measurement of heat stored within the ground
What happens when air cools to its dew point?
Excess vapor condenses into liquid water
Air expands and holds more moisture
Relative humidity decreases rapidly
Heat index always drops to zero
Why can 50% relative humidity feel different on hot versus cold days?
Barometric pressure sets the percentage
Wind direction alters humidity readings
Capacity changes with temperature
Cloud cover blocks evaporation equally
Which factor makes dew point a better indicator of human comfort than relative humidity?
It depends on wind chill adjustments
It uses a percentage independent of heat
It ignores temperature variations entirely
It measures actual water vapor amount
During hot, humid conditions, why might you feel hotter than the actual air temperature?
Sweat evaporation is limited
Infrared radiation increases
Blood vessels constrict more
Air density decreases markedly
Which list correctly describes how dew point works as air cools?
Holds less vapor, RH falls, evaporation
Holds less vapor, RH rises, condensation
Holds more vapor, RH falls, sublimation
Holds constant vapor, RH stable, deposition
Which outcome is most likely when the dew point is greater than 75°F?
Air feels oppressive to most people
Slightly humid sensation predominates
Very low moisture content exists
Conditions feel comfortably dry
At which dew point range are conditions typically described as comfortable?
70–75°F range
Below 55°F range
65–69°F range
55–60°F range
Which statement about the heat index is accurate?
It estimates how hot it feels combining humidity with temperature
It measures only actual air temperature
It equals relative humidity percentage directly
It decreases as wind speed increases always
Which process directly forms morning dew on grass or cars?
Sublimation of ice into vapor quickly
Advection of warm dry air overnight
Air reaching its dew point temperature
Condensation nuclei dissolving entirely
As warm air cools, what happens to its moisture-holding capacity?
Capacity decreases allowing condensation
Capacity increases preventing clouds
Capacity remains constant regardless
Capacity fluctuates randomly each hour
Which comparison between dew point and relative humidity is correct?
Relative humidity is unaffected by temperature
Dew point varies only with wind direction
Dew point quantifies moisture amount directly
Relative humidity quantifies actual vapor mass
If the air temperature drops until relative humidity reaches 100%, what has the air reached?
Its dew point temperature
Its adiabatic lapse rate
Its wet-bulb depression
Its absolute humidity limit
A day with 60–64°F dew point will most likely feel:
Slightly humid for most people
Very humid with oppressive heat
Cold due to evaporative cooling
Comfortable and very dry
Which condition indicates air has become saturated during cloud formation?
Relative humidity reaches 75 percent
Relative humidity reaches 90 percent
Relative humidity reaches 100 percent
Relative humidity falls below 50 percent
What happens to the air’s capacity to hold water vapor as warm, moist air rises?
Capacity decreases as the air cools
Capacity fluctuates randomly with height
Capacity stays exactly the same
Capacity increases with altitude
At what point do water vapor molecules begin to condense into liquid droplets?
When temperature equals dew point
When wind speed equals calm
When pressure equals sea level
When humidity equals zero percent
In the diagram showing temperatures and dew points at different altitudes, at which level will a cloud most likely form?
Surface: 87°F temperature, 65°F dew point
2,000 ft: 76°F temperature, 65°F dew point
Any level regardless of temperature
4,000 ft: 65°F temperature, 65°F dew point
Which statement best describes condensation nuclei?
Invisible energy waves forming droplets
Tiny particles providing surfaces for condensation
Large ice blocks that absorb vapor
Liquid seeds that evaporate into clouds
Given a humid marine air mass rising over the ocean, which factor will most directly initiate cloud droplet formation?
Air pressure dropping below sea level
Wind shear increasing over the water
Water vapor contacting condensation nuclei
Intense sunlight heating the surface
Why do droplets in a cloud typically remain aloft rather than immediately falling as precipitation?
Droplets freeze instantly and hover
Droplets become gas and float upward
Droplets are denser than rocks and sink slowly
Droplets are extremely small and supported by air currents
Which term describes moist air being forced upward by mountains, leading to cloud formation?
Thermal inversion above urban areas
Orographic lift over terrain barriers
Adiabatic heating on valley floors
Cyclonic rotation around low pressure
On which side of a mountain is vegetation typically lush due to increased precipitation?
Plateau side with uniform terrain
Windward side facing incoming wind
Rain shadow side with dry climate
Leeward side facing descending air
Why does a rain shadow desert form on the leeward side of a mountain?
Air warms and loses remaining moisture
Air cools and condenses into clouds
Air gains humidity from ocean spray
Air stagnates due to weak pressure gradients
As air rises over a mountain, what sequence leads to precipitation?
Compression, pressure increases, sublimation
Warming, relative humidity decreases, evaporation
Heating, vapor expands, convection inhibition
Cooling, relative humidity increases, condensation
Seattle near the Olympic Mountains experiences frequent precipitation mainly because it is located on which side relative to prevailing moist winds?
Leeward side in a rain shadow
Downwind desert with katabatic flow
Windward side with orographic lift
Interior basin with thermal lows
Which process most directly creates a rain shadow desert east of the Sierra Nevada?
Dry air ascends and produces rain on both sides
Cold air rises and gains moisture over flat land
Moist air warms and condenses on the leeward side
Warm air descends and dries after crossing mountains
Seattle and Las Vegas experience different climates due to mountain effects. Which pairing is most accurate?
Seattle windward rainfall; Las Vegas leeward aridity
Seattle leeward dryness; Las Vegas windward rainfall
Seattle leeward snowfall; Las Vegas windward humidity
Seattle windward aridity; Las Vegas leeward rainfall
Cirrus clouds are classified by which combination of traits?
Uniform gray sheets and near-surface liquid drizzle
Towering vertical shape and mid-altitude warm air
Thick layered appearance and low-altitude water droplets
Thin wispy appearance and high-altitude ice crystals
A forecaster observes extensive cirrus spreading ahead of a cold front. Which prediction is most supported?
Fair weather now but a storm approaching soon
Immediate heavy rain with thunder today
Rapid warming and clear skies for days
Low fog forming with drizzle overnight
Which description best matches stratus clouds at low altitudes?
Isolated cotton-ball clusters with gaps
Gray layers covering sky like a blanket
Tall towers with anvil-shaped tops
Thin wisps high above weather systems
The Latin root for cumulus translates most closely to which meaning?
Heap or pile
Rain or precipitation
Layer or spread out
Fog or mist
At approximately what maximum altitude do typical stratus clouds form?
About 2,000 meters above ground
Around 12,000 meters altitude
Approximately 8,000 meters high
Near sea level at 0 meters
You observe clouds with flat bases and puffy, upward-growing tops on a clear day. Which cloud type and weather association is most likely?
Nimbostratus with severe winds
Cirrus with thunderstorms
Stratus with heavy snowfall
Cumulus with fair weather
A meteorologist compares stratus and cumulus clouds. Which statement accurately distinguishes both by appearance and typical altitude?
Stratus are towering and middle; cumulus are thin and high
Stratus are wispy and high; cumulus are towers and low
Stratus are puffy and middle; cumulus are layered and high
Stratus are layered and low; cumulus are puffy and low to middle
Which description best matches nimbostratus clouds?
Wispy filaments high with ice crystals
Towering columns with anvil tops and hail
Layered, dark sheets producing steady rain
Puffy fair-weather heaps in gentle breezes
What weather is most commonly associated with cumulonimbus clouds?
High, thin clouds bringing fair weather
Calm conditions with gentle breezes
Light drizzle lasting for several hours
Thunderstorms with heavy rain and lightning
Which pair correctly matches Latin roots to meaning for nimbostratus and cumulonimbus?
Nimbus+Stratus: heap plus rain; Cumulus+Nimbus: layered plus drizzle
Nimbus+Stratus: rain plus layered; Cumulus+Nimbus: towering heap plus rain
Cumulus+Nimbus: thin ice plus sun; Nimbus+Cumulus: fog plus layered
Stratus+Nimbus: light snow plus fair; Cumulus+Stratus: towering hail plus wind
A forecaster observes a sky covered by thick gray layers at low to middle altitudes with widespread precipitation. What cloud type is most likely present?
Altocumulus indicating scattered showers
Cumulonimbus causing severe thunderstorms
Cirrus signaling fair conditions aloft
Nimbostratus producing light to moderate rain
During a summer afternoon, clouds grow vertically until their tops flatten into an anvil shape near the tropopause. What hazard should be expected next?
Fog formation with cooling overnight
Clear skies and decreasing winds
Light snow showers and steady drizzle
Lightning, hail, and possible tornadoes
Which statement best defines fog in atmospheric science?
Mist forming only over oceans
Ice crystals forming on trees
Rain droplets near the surface
Clouds suspended at ground level
Which condition most directly leads to radiation fog formation?
Sunny afternoons with strong heating
Cold fronts with heavy precipitation
Windy nights with warm advection
Clear, calm nights with ground cooling
Advection fog is most likely when which air–surface combination occurs?
Warm, moist air over cooler land
Cold, dry air over warmer land
Dry air over equally warm water
Hot air over hot urban surfaces
Evaporation (steam) fog forms when cold air moves over warm water. What immediate process adds moisture to the air above the water?
Condensation onto cold rocks
Precipitation from low clouds
Sublimation of ice crystals
Evaporation from the warm surface
Consider a river in early winter with relatively warm water and cold air above. Which sequence best explains the thin ‘steaming’ fog observed over the river?
Evaporation adds moisture then rapid cooling to dew point
Warm water freezes then releases latent heat
Cold air warms then forms rain droplets
Moist air descends and compresses
A coastal city experiences dense fog when ocean air drifts over cold land overnight. Which fog type should forecasters report?
Advection fog
Radiation fog
Evaporation fog
Valley fog
Which statement best defines precipitation in the atmosphere?
Clouds forming but never releasing any moisture
Water vapor rising and staying suspended aloft
Air cooling without forming droplets or crystals
Water falling from clouds to Earth’s surface
In warm clouds, what initiates raindrop growth during collision–coalescence?
Droplets colliding and sticking together repeatedly
Ice crystals growing by vapor deposition
Water vapor freezing without any collisions
Gravity separating small droplets from large ones
Which cloud type environment is most associated with the Bergeron process?
Stratus clouds with no phase changes
Tropical cumulus with only liquid droplets
Warm clouds above freezing temperatures
Cold clouds below freezing temperatures
What role does gravity play in precipitation formation?
It prevents droplets from merging
It warms air leading to evaporation
It causes vapor to condense into clouds
It pulls heavy droplets or crystals downward
During collision–coalescence, the precipitation typically reaches the ground as:
Liquid rain from start to finish
Sleet formed in deep cold layers
Hail produced by updraft cycles
Snow formed entirely aloft
Which pair of particles coexist in clouds for the Bergeron process to operate?
Water vapor and hailstones exclusively
Only large liquid droplets together
Dust aerosols and warm raindrops
Ice crystals and supercooled water droplets
Why do ice crystals grow in the Bergeron process?
Gravity compresses ice into larger pieces
Vapor moves from supercooled droplets to ice
Collisions between warm raindrops occur
Sunlight melts droplets into crystals
Which region most commonly experiences collision–coalescence as the dominant rain formation mechanism?
Deserts with very low humidity
Polar regions with frigid air masses
Tropical areas with thick warm clouds
Mid-latitudes with winter storm systems
In the Bergeron process, what can happen to falling ice as it descends through warmer air?
It freezes into hailstones repeatedly
It evaporates entirely before reaching ground
It remains snow regardless of temperature
It melts and becomes rain at lower levels
Which statement contrasts warm and cold clouds in precipitation mechanisms?
Warm clouds contain ice crystals mainly; cold clouds do not
Warm clouds rely on vapor deposition; cold clouds rely on collision
Warm clouds favor droplet merging; cold clouds favor ice growth
Warm clouds make snow; cold clouds make only rain
What primarily triggers the start of precipitation within clouds?
Cooling of water vapor leading to condensation
Surface heating causing convection only
Lightning producing instant droplet formation
Strong winds lifting air parcels rapidly
Which outcome best describes Bergeron-produced precipitation at the surface?
It may fall as snow, rain, or mixed types
It must remain frozen to the surface
It can only be sleet in all conditions
It always hits the ground as liquid rain
Which step occurs repeatedly in collision–coalescence to enlarge raindrops?
Droplets collide and merge into larger drops
Ice crystals sublimate into vapor
Vapor deposits onto ice surfaces
Droplets freeze without any contact
A cloud contains many supercooled droplets and few ice crystals. Which process will likely dominate precipitation formation?
Bergeron process with ice growth by vapor
Evaporation preventing any precipitation
Hail formation through strong updrafts
Collision–coalescence creating warm rain
Which statement correctly links mass and fall from clouds?
Gravity only affects ice, not liquid drops
Lighter particles fall faster than heavy ones
Particles rise when they become heavier
Once heavy enough, particles fall due to gravity
In tropical warm clouds, which sequence best describes raindrop formation?
Ice crystals form, accumulate, then remain aloft
Droplets freeze, shatter, then evaporate
Small droplets collide, coalesce, grow, then fall
Vapor deposits on ice, then melts into hail
A snowflake forms aloft but surface air is above freezing. What is the most likely precipitation at the ground?
Rain after melting during descent
Snow unchanged all the way down
Drizzle that never melts
Hail from repeated freezing cycles
Which statement explains why the Bergeron process is vital in mid- to high-latitudes?
Desert air contains no supercooled droplets
Tropical moisture prevents ice crystals
Warm clouds dominate and suppress freezing
Cold clouds are common and support ice growth
What phase are supercooled water droplets in within cold clouds?
Liquid state below 0°C temperature
Solid state well above freezing
Vapor state at high humidity
Liquid state above 20°C temperature
Which direct mechanism most increases a droplet’s size during collision–coalescence?
Freezing triggered by temperature drop
Evaporation reducing smaller droplets
Sublimation of ice into water vapor
Merging upon impact with other droplets
Which mechanism primarily forms rain in warm clouds by droplets colliding and merging?
Collision–coalescence process
Bergeron ice crystal process
Advection and convection mixing
Sublimation and deposition
In the Bergeron process, what role do ice crystals play within cold clouds?
They warm nearby air masses
They dissolve into vapor
They feed on water molecules
They repel cloud droplets
Which condition allows precipitation formed by the Bergeron process to reach the ground as rain?
Strong surface winds only
A thick layer of warm air below
High humidity at ground level
Uniform subfreezing air column
Arrange the raindrop sizes by typical fall speed from slowest to fastest: small (0.5 mm), medium (1–2 mm), large (4–5 mm), very large (6 mm).
Small, medium, large, very large
Large, medium, small, very large
Medium, small, large, very large
Small, large, medium, very large
Why is there an upper limit to raindrop fall speed?
Cloud droplets lose mass by evaporation
Gravity weakens at lower altitudes
Surface tension increases with altitude
Air resistance increases and drops break apart
A raindrop measured at 1.5 mm diameter is most likely to fall at which approximate speed?
About 2 mph
About 10–15 mph
About 20–25 mph
About 30 mph
Identify the main difference between rain formation in warm versus cold clouds.
Surface winds versus vertical shear
Adiabatic cooling versus heating
Evaporation versus condensation
Droplet coalescence versus ice-crystal growth
Predict what happens to very large raindrops approaching 6 mm in diameter as they descend.
They evaporate completely
They freeze into hailstones
They break apart due to drag
They accelerate without limit
Which process primarily explains how snow forms in cold clouds?
Condensation on dust into water
Adiabatic melting of raindrops
Bergeron process of vapor deposition
Sublimation of ice into vapor
What happens when water vapor sticks to existing ice crystals in a cloud?
Crystals grow into snowflakes
Ice turns into liquid droplets
Crystals dissolve into air
Vapor warms and evaporates
Which condition allows snowflakes to reach the ground without melting?
Cloud base remains above freezing
Ground temperature oscillates daily
Air warms slightly near ground
Air stays below freezing to surface
In very cold clouds, how do crystals typically grow?
Slowly into small powdery flakes
Rapidly into large wet aggregates
Uniformly into spherical pellets
Erratically into hollow columns
Different temperatures in clouds lead to which effect on snowflakes?
Uniform fall speeds
Varied crystal shapes
Constant crystal mass
Identical branching density
While falling, what occurs if air stays below freezing all the way down?
Flakes remain intact and fluffy
Flakes sublimate before landing
Flakes become wetter and heavier
Flakes convert into sleet pellets
Which sequence best describes sleet formation as snow falls through the atmosphere?
Snow stays frozen, collects rime, falls as graupel
Snow sublimates to vapor, condenses, freezes on contact
Snow melts partially, evaporates, condenses near ground
Snow melts in warm layer, refreezes in deep cold layer
In the sleet diagram, what role does the deep cold layer near the surface play?
It refreezes raindrops into ice pellets before landing
It evaporates droplets, preventing precipitation
It warms raindrops enough to stay liquid on impact
It causes snow to melt completely into warm rain
Which condition leads to glaze (freezing rain) rather than sleet?
Deep near-surface cold layer refreezing drops into pellets aloft
No warm layer aloft so snow never melts during descent
Shallow near-surface cold layer not cold enough to refreeze drops aloft
Extremely dry air causing drops to evaporate before impact
What happens to raindrops in freezing rain when they encounter cold surfaces?
They warm and flow as liquid without freezing
They crystallize into snowflakes before impact
They bounce like pellets and remain mostly solid
They freeze instantly into a smooth clear ice coating
Which atmospheric temperature profile most favors sleet?
Warm layer aloft over deep cold layer near the ground
Deep warm layer aloft over shallow cold layer at surface
Uniform subfreezing temperatures from cloud to surface
Cold inversion aloft with warm surface temperatures
Black ice on roads is most directly associated with which precipitation type?
Graupel created by riming within clouds
Snowfall accumulating without melting aloft
Sleet forming bouncing pellets on pavement
Glaze produced by freezing rain on contact
In the freezing rain diagram, why don’t drops refreeze before reaching the ground?
The cold layer is too shallow and not cold enough aloft
Evaporation removes latent heat and prevents freezing
The warm layer is absent and air is fully subfreezing
Droplets become ice crystals within the cloud
Which statement correctly differentiates sleet from freezing rain at the surface?
Sleet creates black ice sheets, freezing rain leaves dry pavement
Sleet forms smooth clear ice, freezing rain forms granular bouncing pellets
Sleet arrives as liquid then freezes, freezing rain arrives as solid pellets
Sleet arrives as solid pellets, freezing rain arrives as liquid that freezes on contact
A forecaster observes snow aloft, a warm layer at 1–2 km, and a shallow cold layer near the surface. What precipitation is most likely at the ground?
Freezing rain forming glaze on contact
Cold drizzle without icing hazards
Sleet pellets forming before landing
Dry snow reaching the surface unchanged
Which process converts supercooled raindrops into glaze on power lines?
Deposition of vapor directly onto crystals aloft
Homogeneous nucleation in mid-level cold air
Riming of snowflakes within the cloud layer
Contact freezing upon hitting subfreezing surfaces
In the sleet diagram, what is the state of precipitation immediately after passing through the warm layer aloft?
Graupel formed by riming within the cloud
Supercooled liquid unable to freeze aloft
Solid snowflakes unchanged by warming
Liquid raindrops that will refreeze lower
Which hazard is unique to freezing rain compared to sleet?
Smooth, clear ice coating on surfaces
Reduced visibility from bouncing pellets
Loud surface impacts without accumulation
Powdery accumulation like snowfall
A temperature sounding shows T>0°C from 1.5–3 km and T<0°C from the surface to 1 km. Which outcome is most consistent?
Melted drops refreeze into sleet before landing
Snow persists un-melted and reaches the ground
Rain remains warm and falls without freezing
Drops supercool and freeze only upon impact
Why do sleet pellets bounce on impact while glaze forms a smooth layer?
Sleet contains air pockets; glaze is crystalline snow
Sleet is warmer than surfaces; glaze is colder than air
Sleet is solid before impact; glaze is liquid until contact
Sleet stays liquid until impact; glaze solidifies aloft
Which atmospheric condition primarily enables hail to form and grow within a storm?
Gentle breezes in shallow rain showers
Stable air with weak vertical motions
Cold surface air without convection
Strong updrafts inside severe thunderstorms
What is the role of supercooled water droplets in building hailstones?
They freeze onto pellets adding ice layers
They melt pellets reducing overall size
They evaporate creating drier downdrafts
They warm pellets preventing freezing
Why do some hailstones display concentric layers when cut open?
Repeated lofting adds successive ice shells
Solar heating melts the outer shell daily
Ground impact compacts internal layers
Wind shear spins water into spiral bands
In the hail growth cycle shown, what happens when the updraft can no longer support a hailstone’s weight?
It becomes a liquid raindrop
It dissolves into supercooled droplets
It rises above the freezing level
It falls to the ground as solid ice
Which sequence best describes the vertical motions that grow hailstones within a cumulonimbus cloud?
Pellets form at ground then rise continuously
Pellets stay aloft steadily at one level
Downdraft lifts pellets, updraft sinks them, cycle repeats
Updraft lifts pellets, downdraft drops them, cycle repeats
