Clouds & Particles

Basics

1. Clouds

Can you answer the following questions?
1) Water can exist in three states: gas, liquid and solid. What states of water do we find in the atmosphere? a) only liquid b) only gas and liquid c) all three states d) only liquid and solid 2) Evaporation is the transition of water... a) from a gas state to a liquid state b) from a solid state to a gas state c) from a liquid state to a gas state d) from a gas state to a solid state 3) Condensation is the transition of water... a) from a liquid state to a gas state b) from a gas state to a liquid state c) from a solid state to a gas state d) from a gas state to a solid state 4) The air can only contain a certain amount of water vapor before it is saturated. This amount is dependent on... a) the temperature of the air b) whether the air is above sea or land c) the wind speed d) the amount of pollution in the air 5) When air containing water reaches its saturation point, then... a) no more water will evaporate from the ground b) it will lead to evaporation above sea and precipitation above land c) water vapor will form droplets d) droplets will fall out of the clouds 6) When air containing water reaches its saturation point, then... a) it will be calm b) it will be windy above sea and rainy above land c) it will start to rain d) clouds will be formed   Quiz results: Questions you got right: Questions you got wrong: Grade in %:
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Answer individually or in groups

a) Evaporation is….

b) Condensation is….

c) Which of the following processes are examples of  evaporation, and which are examples of condensation?

• Droplets on the bathroom mirror after your shower
• Clothes getting dry on a washing line 
• Puddles disappearing after rain
• Droplets on the outside of a glass of cold water
• A sandcastle in a sandpit falling apart after a day in the sun

About this page:

Authors: Ellen K. Henriksen and Camilla Schreiner - University of Oslo - Norway. Scientific reviewer: Justine Gourdeau - LaMP Clermont ferrand - France - 2004-01-13. Quiz programmer: Julia Heres - University of Nürnberg - Germany. Last update: 2004-03-27.