WEATHER AND CLIMATE

5. Distinguish between absolute humidity and relative humidity.

Ans:
Absolute Humidity Relative Humidity
The actual amount of water vapour The ratio between the water vapour
present in air is called absolute present in the air at a given
humidity. temperature and the maximum
capacity of air to hold moisture at that
temperature is called relative humidity.

6. Name the different forms of condensation and precipitation.

Ans: The important forms of condensation are dew, frost, fog, and clouds
The forms of Precipitation are rain, drizzle, hail and snow.
7. What is rain? Classify rainfall and explain convectional rainfall with a labelled
diagram.
Ans: When precipitation occurs in the form of water drops, it is called rain. Rain is the
most important form of precipitation. Depending upon how warm and moist the air
cools, rainfall can be classified into three types.
Orographic rainfall
Convectional rainfall
Cyclonic or frontal rainfall.
Convectional rainfall – When air comes in contact with the hot surface of the earth, it
gets heated becomes light and rises in the form of air current. After the warm air
current reaches the upper layers of the atmosphere, it expands and loses heat. This
leads to condensation and the formation of cumulus clouds. These clouds give
sudden and heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning. This is called
convectional rainfall. It is experienced every day in the equatorial region.
(Please draw all three types rainfall diagrams too in the notebook.)