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Types of Rainfall
The document discusses different types of rainfall. It explains that convectional rainfall occurs when the sun heats the earth's surface, warming the air which rises through convection. As the air rises and cools, water vapor condenses to form clouds and rain. Frontal rainfall happens when a warm air mass forces under a cold air mass, causing the warm air to rise over the cold air where it cools and condenses. Orographic rainfall is produced when warm moist air is forced upward by upland areas, expanding and cooling to produce rain.
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Introduces types of rain and the basic process of rainfall formation; emphasizing sunlight's role in heating, air movement, and moisture changes.
Explains convectional rain as warm air rises, cools, and condenses to form rain, illustrating the convection cell process.
Describes frontal rain, where warm air forces cold air upwards, leading to cooling, expansion, and rain formation.
Defines orographic (relief) rain, detailing how upland areas cause warm moist air to rise, cool, and produce heavy rain.
Discusses the relationship between air pressure changes and rain formation, explaining how rising air cools and descending air warms.
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Types of Rainfall
- 1. Geography Rainfall TypesRainfall Types Aim: Why does it rain?
- 2. Geography Why does itrain?Why does it rain? Try to guess which word fits? The sun heats the earth’s surface and in turn the air above it becomes cool/warmcool/warm and it rises/fallsrises/falls by the process of confusion/convectionconfusion/convection. As it falls/risesfalls/rises, the air warms/coolswarms/cools until the water vapour evaporates/condensesevaporates/condenses, forming thick/thinthick/thin clouds.
- 3. Geography • During summerdays the earth’s surface can becomes very hot. • This can cause an intense warming of the air making it very buoyant. • The air rises quickly. • As it does so it expands and cools. The air can no longer hold • the moisture; condensation takes place and rain forms. • The cool air then falls and • is caught and dragged back • upward by more rising air • forming a convection cell. Convectional RainConvectional Rain
- 4. Geography Frontal RainFrontal Rain •A warm air mass tries to force into a cold air mass. • The warm air is lighter and less dense than the cold air and so is forced to rise over it. • As the warm air rises it expands and cools and so rain forms.
- 5. Geography This line represents the frontseparating warm air from cold air Rain Cumulus cloud Warm air Warm air rises over cold air; it expands and cools, condenses, clouds and rain form Warm air Cool air
- 6. Geography Orographic (Relief) RainOrographic(Relief) Rain • Upland areas force the warm moist air upward, where it cools. • As the warm air rises it expands and cools, condensation takes place and rain forms. • The rain is often heavy and prolonged.
- 7. Geography Sea Moist wind Rain Dry wind Little orno rain Pressureincreases Pressuredecreases When air rises the pressure on it decreases; the expands and cools When the air descends the pressure on it increases; the air contracts and warms