Weather and Climate — Question 6

The different forms of condensation are:

1. Dew — In winters, the moist air comes in contact with cold surfaces and the water vapour condenses on them. The water droplets thus formed are called dew.
2. Frost — If the temperature falls below freezing point, tiny ice crystals are formed in place of water droplets. This is called frost.
3. Clouds — When water droplets condense around dust or smoke particles in the air, the mass thus formed is called cloud.

The different forms of precipitation are:

1. Rain — When precipitation occurs in the form of water drops, it is called rain.
2. Drizzle — It is a light continuous rainfall in which the rain drops are of very small size.
3. Hail — It is a kind of solid precipitation consisting of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone.
4. Snow — When air temperature is below freezing point, the water vapour present in clouds condenses to form tiny ice crystals called snow.
5. Sleet — When snow and rain fall together, it is called sleet.