Study Guide for Clouds

What are clouds?

liquid water drops

When do clouds form?

at the dew point

What is condensation nuclei?

surfaces on which condensation occur

What are the steps of a cloud forming?

air parcel cools to dew point
water condenses
droplets grown around nuclei
clouds are born

What are cumulus clouds?

puffy, "popcorn-like" clouds

What are cumulus humilis clouds?

a type of cumulus clouds that form when there is fair weather; they are usually small

What are cumulus congestus clouds?

towering cumulus clouds

What causes cumulus congestus clouds to tower?

heating causes vertical updrafts

What are cumulonimbus clouds?

thunderstorm clouds; very large, thick clouds

What is a thunderstorm?

cumulonimbus clouds with lightning and thunder and commonly rain, but it doesn't have to produce rain

Where is the top of the cumulonimbus cloud?

near the top of the troposphere

What does a cumulonimbus cloud look like?

a mushroom or an anvil

Where is the base of a cumulonimbus cloud?

near the ground

What does congestus mean?

heap

What does humilis mean?

humble

What is another characteristic of cumulonimbus clouds?

they are turbulent because they have strong updrafts and downdrafts

If you cool a saturated air parcel what happens?

the dew point occurs

When will a thunderstorm end?

when the warm air source is removed

Why do warm air parcels rise?

they're less dense than the surrounding air

What happens when rain is dumped on warm air?

the thunderstorm stops