Republic of the Philippines
CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
Cavite College of Arts and Trades Campus
Rosario, Cavite
(046)437-9505 / (046)437-6659
[email protected] www.cvsu-rosario.edu.ph
Written Report about
Cloud Development and Precipitation
Prepared by:
Mangohig, Khimira Q.
Maquimot, Garth Rainer D.
Mendoza, Michaella
BSE 301-SCIENCE
S.Y. 2023-2024
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the students are able to:
1. Determine the conditions of cloud development.
2. Understand the process of cloud development.
3. Describe the occurrence of precipitation.
4. Distinguish the four major types of precipitation.
Topic Outline
I. Cloud Development
A. What is Cloud
B. Cloud Development
C. Nucleation
D. Process of Cloud Development
II. Precipitation
A. Definition of Precipitation
B. Four Major Types of precipitation
1. Rain
2. Snow
3. Sleet
4. Hail
I. CLOUD DEVELOPMENT
A. WHAT IS CLOUD?
• Cloud a collection of small water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air, which
forms when the air is cooled, and condensation occurs.
• The size and composition of these particles depend on factors such as Temperature
and Humidity:
o High-level clouds (e.g., cirrus) typically form in colder regions of the
atmosphere where ice crystals dominate.
o Low-level clouds (e.g., stratus, cumulus) often form in more stable and
humid air masses.
B. HOW DO CLOUDS DEVELOP
Here are some of the main conditions that need to be met for clouds to form:
• Warm, moist air: Clouds need a source of water vapor, which is the gaseous
form of water. Warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air, so clouds are
more likely to form in warm air masses.
• Rising air (Adiabatic Cooling): As air rises, it expands and cools. As it cools,
it can no longer hold as much water vapor, and the excess water condenses into
water droplets or ice crystals. If this rising air reaches its dew point temperature
(the temperature at which air becomes saturated), water vapor begins to
condense into visible cloud droplets. (According to the ideal gas law, when air
expands, it cools. The temperature of the rising air parcel decreases as it
ascends.)
• Condensation nuclei: Condensation nuclei are tiny particles in the air that
water vapor can condense on. These particles can include dust, pollen, and
smoke
o Natural - mineral dust and pollen.
o Anthropogenic (man-made) - combustion by-products, industrial
emissions, and pollution.
• The presence of condensation nuclei is essential for the cloud formation process
because it provides a surface for water vapor to condense onto, initiating the
formation of cloud droplets.
C. NUCLEATION
Water vapor condenses on condensation nuclei through a process known as nucleation.
Condensation nuclei provide surfaces on which water vapor can undergo a phase transition
from a gaseous state to a liquid state, forming tiny liquid water droplets. Here's how this process
occurs:
1. Presence of Water Vapor:
• Water vapor, in the form of invisible gas, is present in the atmosphere.
2. Saturation of Air:
• The air becomes saturated when it holds the maximum amount of water vapor
possible at a given temperature. This is known as the dew point.
3. Adsorption and Condensation:
• Adsorption: Water vapor molecules adhere to the surfaces of condensation nuclei.
These nuclei serve as the foundation for droplet formation.
• Condensation: Once water vapor molecules accumulate on the condensation nuclei,
they undergo a phase transition from a gaseous state to a liquid state. This transition
forms tiny liquid water droplets on the surfaces of the nuclei.
4. Formation of Cloud Droplets:
• Continued Condensation: The condensation process persists as more water vapor
condenses onto the existing liquid droplets.
• Coalescence and Collision: Droplets grow in size through coalescence (joining
together) and collision with other droplets.
• Cloud Visibility: As these droplets continue to grow and accumulate, they become
large enough to be visible as a cloud.
In summary, the process involves the initial presence of water vapor, saturation of air to the
dew point, adsorption of water vapor on condensation nuclei, phase transition to liquid, and the
continuous growth of liquid droplets forming visible clouds.
D. PROCESS OF CLOUD DEVELOPMENT
1. The sun warms a water source.
2. Evaporation occurs creating warm, moist air.
3. As the warm air/ water vapor rises, it cools down.
4. When it cools to its dew point and below, the water vapor in the air condenses onto tiny
particles called cloud condensation nuclei
• Dew point is the temperature of water changing from a vapor to a liquid.
• Cloud condensation nuclei can be smoke, dust, dirt, salt.
5. Most clouds are composed of water droplets, but at very high-altitude clouds are
composed of ice crystals
INSIDE THE CLOUDS
For clouds with suspended water droplets that bump into one another they stick together
and falls down as rain. On the other hand, clouds with ice crystals they stick together forming
snowflakes. Snowflakes are typically delicate and six-sided, but they can also be irregularly
shaped. This leads to precipitation.
PRECIPITATION
• Precipitation is any form of water that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth's
surface. It can be in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Precipitation is an
important part of the water cycle and is essential for life on Earth.
• Precipitation is formed when warm, moist air rises into the atmosphere. As the
air rises, it cools and expands. This causes the water vapor in the air to condense
into tiny water droplets or ice crystals. The water droplets or ice crystals then
grow and eventually fall to the ground as precipitation.
The type of precipitation that falls depends on a number of factors, including the temperature
of the air, the humidity of the air, and the presence of other clouds and weather systems.
• Rain is the most common type of precipitation. It falls when water droplets in clouds
become too heavy to stay aloft. Rain can fall in a variety of intensities, from light drizzle
to heavy downpours.
o Rain’s water droplets typically range from 0.5 mm to 4 mm. If less than 4 mm
it will be considered as mist or drizzle.
• Snow falls when water vapor in clouds freezes into ice crystals. Snowflakes form when
ice crystals bump into each other and stick together. Snow can fall in a variety of forms,
from light flurries to heavy blizzards.
• Sleet is a type of frozen precipitation that falls when raindrops freeze as they fall
through cold air. Sleet pellets are usually small and round, and they can bounce when
they hit the ground.
• Hail is a type of solid precipitation that falls from thunderstorms. Hailstone’s form
when water droplets in clouds freeze and then collide with other ice particles.
Hailstones can grow quite large, and they can be dangerous to people and property.
The interaction between updrafts and downdrafts is essential for the growth of hailstones.
Updrafts provide the upward force that carries the droplets and ice crystals to higher altitudes,
while downdrafts provide the cooling and moisture that allow the hailstones to grow.
REFERENCES:
• Met Office - UK Weather. 2014. Retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBnKgwnn7i4
• Berger, E. 2021. Some areas of Houston saw graupel Tuesday, a rare form of winter
precipitation. Space City Weather Retrieved from: https://spacecityweather.com/some-
areas-of-houston-saw-graupel-tuesday-a-rare-form-of-winter-precipitation/.
• U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved from: https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-
science-school/science/raindrops-are-different
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