DOL Precipitation Forms 2-18-25

1.  Which sentence best describes how ALL precipitation begins?

• Water is evaporated from the ground and plants.

• Water enters the atmosphere.

• Water cools and collects on particles in clouds.

• Water falls from the clouds to the ground.

Precipitation occurs when the water in clouds are (a)   .

• too heavy
• too light
• frozen
• evaporated

What kind of precipitation falls as water droplets, then freezes as it hits the ground, covering surfaces with ice.

• Freezing rain
• Snow
• Hail
• Sleet

Which diagram shows the conditions from cloud to the ground to produce sleet?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Part A

 How do the forms of precipitation change as you go left to right?

• There is more contact with warm air.

• There is less contact with warm air.

• They go from liquid to solid.

• They change states more.

Part B

How are sleet and freezing rain different?

Answer explanation

The key difference lies in the state of the precipitation when it reaches the surface. Sleet involves frozen ice pellets, while rain is liquid water droplets.