precipitatsioonid

Precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, snow, sleet, and hail. The process begins with the evaporation of water from the Earth's surface, which rises into the atmosphere. As this water vapor ascends, it cools and condenses around tiny particles, such as dust or salt, forming clouds. When these water droplets or ice crystals grow large enough, they become too heavy to remain suspended in the air and fall to the Earth's surface as precipitation. The type of precipitation that occurs depends primarily on the temperature of the atmosphere between the cloud and the ground. Drizzle consists of very fine water droplets, while rain is larger. Snow forms when temperatures are below freezing throughout the atmospheric column. Sleet is frozen raindrops, and hail consists of ice pellets formed within thunderstorms. Precipitation is a crucial component of the Earth's water cycle, replenishing freshwater sources and sustaining ecosystems.