Tag: elements of weather and climate :humidity

Acid rain is caused by a chemical reaction that begins when compounds like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the air. These substances can rise very high into the atmosphere, where they mix and react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form more acidic pollutants, known as acid rain.

Precipitation is any type of water that forms in the Earth's atmosphere and then drops onto the surface of the Earth.

The rain that falls from clouds but freezes before it reaches the ground is called sleet or ice pellets.

Snow is precipitation that falls in the form of ice crystals

Hail  forms when very cold water droplets freeze, or turn solid, as soon as they touch things like dust or dirt

Water vapor in the atmosphere is visible as clouds and fog.

It forms mist. It is a phenomenon caused by the small water droplets of water suspended in the air. When the warm moist air meets the sudden cooling, mist is formed.

The amount of water vapor in the air is known as humidity. It can make hot temperatures even more unbearable than they already are. It affects both weather as well as climate. It also affects global climate change. Both low humidity as well as high humidity is harmful for us. Humidity is of two types:- Absolute humidity and Relative humidity.

The process by which water continually changes its form and circulates between oceans, atmosphere and land is known as water cycle. In the water cycle, water from oceans, lakes, swamps, rivers, plants can turn into water vapour. Water vapour condenses into millions of tiny droplets that form clouds. Clouds lose their water as rain or snow, which is called precipitation. Precipitation is either absorbed into the ground or runs off into rivers. Plants take up the water that was absorbed into the ground. Plants lose water from their surfaces as vapour that goes back into the atmosphere. Water that runs off into rivers flows into ponds, lakes, or oceans where it evaporates back into the atmosphere. This cycle continues.

Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. 

A  vernal pool basin will experience inundation from rain/precipitation, followed by desiccation from evapotranspiration. These conditions are commonly associated with a Mediterranean climate. Most pools are dry for at least part of the year and fill with the winter rains, spring snowmelts, and rising water tables. Some pools may remain at least partially filled with water over the course of a year or more, but all vernal pools dry up periodically.

The state of atmosphere over an area at any point of time is known as weather. It is the state of the atmosphere over short periods of time. Weather can change from hour to hour, day to day, month to month or even year to year.

Following are the major elements of weather: -

1. Temperature
2. Pressure
3. Humidity
4. Precipitation
5. Wind

• Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time. Temperature, humidity, and visibility are the atmospheric phenomena hence part of the weather.
• Sunlight is independent of the atmosphere, thus option D is correct.