Chapter Overview
This chapter explores atmospheric water—its gaseous, liquid, and solid forms. It explains evaporation, condensation, humidity, precipitation phases (rain, snow, sleet, hail), and rainfall types (convectional, orographic, cyclonic). Students also learn cloud types, fog and mist formation, global rainfall distribution patterns.
Important Keywords
- Water vapour: Gaseous atmospheric water—0–4% concentration, major greenhouse gas :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.
- Evaporation: Conversion of liquid to vapor—driven by heat, aided by airflow :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
- Condensation: Vapor to liquid/ice when cooling or saturation occurs :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
- Dew point: Temperature at which air becomes saturated and condensation begins :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.
- Dew, frost: Surface condensation—dew above freezing; frost forms ice crystals below freezing :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.
- Fog, mist: Airborne condensation—fog (visibility <1 km), mist (>1 km) near ground :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
- Cloud types: Cirrus, cumulus, stratus, nimbus—formed by airborne condensation at altitude :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
- Precipitation: Rain, snow, sleet, hail fall when droplets/crystals grow heavy :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.
- Humidity: Absolute and relative measures of water vapour in air :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.
- Rainfall types: Convectional (surface heating), orographic (mountain uplift), cyclonic (frontal systems) :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.
Detailed Notes
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