Download Cloud Types, Formation and the Water Cycle Guided Notes

Cloud Types, Formation and the Water Cycle Guided Notes
Name: _____________________________________________ Date: _________________ Class: ________
1.
How does the water cycle affect weather?
a. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
b. What three forms does water have?
______________________________________________________________________________
c. What causes water to change form?
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Humidity
a. Humidity is ____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________ is the amount of water vapor present in air expressed as a percentage of
the amount needed for saturation at the same temperature.
c. How are they alike? _____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
d. How are they different? __________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
3. How Clouds Form
a. Clouds form when warm, moist air rises and cools.
________________________________condenses on tiny particles to
form liquid water or ______________________________________.
b. Step 1: _______________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
c. Step 2: At certain height, air cools to the dew point and
condensation begins.
d. Step 3: Water vapor condenses on tiny particles in the air, forming a
cloud.
e. How does this relate to the water cycle? ___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Types of Clouds
a. What are the three main types of clouds?

__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________
b. _______________________________ is Latin for “spread” or “bed.”
Scientists named stratus clouds because their structure looks like a
blanket or layer.
c. _____________________________ is Latin for “pile.” Scientists named
cumulus clouds because their structure looks like a bunch of piled-up
material.
d. _____________________________ is Latin for “hair.” These stringy
clouds were named because they resemble wispy strands of hair.
e. Scientists classify clouds into three main types based on their shape:
cirrus, cumulus, and stratus. Clouds are further classified by their ________________________________.
5.
6.
7.
Water Droplets
a. Droplets come in many sizes. A ______________________ has about one million times as much water in it as a
________________________________.
What are the different types of precipitation?
a. _______________________________
b. _______________________________
c. _______________________________
d. _______________________________
How hail forms
a. Hailstones start as small pellets of ice in ________________________________ clouds. They grow larger as they are
repeatedly tossed up and down until they become so heavy they fall to the ground.
b. In what form does all precipitation begin to fall?
______________________________________
c. What determines what form the precipitation will be when it falls? ______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
d. Why do you think hail forms in tall clouds?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
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