Every natural person has encountered this natural phenomenon. We all hid from the rain many times under umbrellas and have long been accustomed to checking before the walk for clouds in the sky. And the most curious ones always wonder where this rain comes from.
Where does rain water come from in heaven?
It turns out everything is very simple. Under the influence of solar heat, tiny droplets of water evaporate from the surface of the Earth. These droplets are very small, almost invisible to the eye, such small droplets are called water vapor.
Water evaporates from the leaves of trees, from the surface of the earth and even from the surface of our body. Most of the water, of course, evaporates in the form of steam from the water surface of rivers, lakes, seas and oceans.
Evaporation above water can be seen in the early morning when steam begins to collect in droplets directly above the water. You can also see such steam when the kettle is boiling.
Rising higher and higher, the vapor enters the cold layers of the atmosphere and gathers in droplets of water and tiny ice floes. After all, the temperature above, where the clouds gather, is about zero degrees. The wind collects droplets into huge bizarre clouds. You can see before the rain, how white clouds gather in a cloud before their eyes darken. This is because so much water is collected in the sky that it does not let in sunlight.
It happens that droplets freeze due to low temperature and fall together with raindrops on the ground. It's hailing.
Droplets in a cloud connect with each other, become heavier and begin to fall to the ground. So it starts to rain.
Why is it raining more often in autumn?
It rains in Russia even less frequently in autumn than in summer. According to weather forecasters, the highest rainfall occurs in June. And in the fall, due to the large number of cloudy days, it seems to us that the autumn is rainy.
In winter, evaporating water vapor does not even have time to collect in droplets, and immediately turns from steam into fluffy snowflakes. Yes, yes, snowflakes are formed from steam. And then instead of rain in the winter it snows.
Now you know how water gets into the atmosphere and why it rains. Once in the form of rain or snow, the water goes into underground waters, seas, oceans, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water, and everything starts all over again. This natural phenomenon was called the water cycle in nature.
Without such a cycle of water, our planet would turn into a lifeless desert.
You can arrange a small water cycle even at home. For it is a transparent lid and put on fire. You will see how the steam will rise, settle on the lid, in the form of droplets. And the drops will fall down, so that again, turning into steam, rise up. Such a wonderful rain in the pan.
Have you ever wondered what they are - the true causes of rain? Ah, do you have your own opinion on this subject that you think is the only right one? Oddly enough, all people also have their own opinions. So, maybe it's worth figuring out what the real causes of rain are for them?
Here comes a young man, serious and preoccupied, with a tube in his hand. You can see right away - a student, who, if not him, should know the true causes of rain!
- Well, you give! What are the causes of rain! Yes, every schoolchild knows this! At least I should know. What can I tell you about the water cycle in nature? About the fact that clouds are steam, it cools and falls to the ground in the form of raindrops? Or do you ask, what are they in a philosophical sense? Like, why does the grass grow, does it rain, do people die? Then I can’t say anything, our philosophy will only be in the third year!
Nda-ah, a very smart student! Although he didn’t really say anything - he didn’t want to talk about the water cycle in nature, but they didn’t tell them about the true causes of rain, you see! Well, no fancy!
- Causes of rain? What's this? Why is it raining? Ahh, well, why, why - the Lord mournes the sins of men, and here it comes! True, true, and nothing to smile at! When people were mired in sin, the Lord sent a global flood upon them, and it rained for days and nights in a row. But only after the Lord promised not to send the flood anymore, people felt sorry for him! Since then, he only cries, mourns our sins, here are the reasons for the rain, it's time for people to think about how they live!
Well, well - also a wow version! Nobody has proved that there can be such reasons for rain. Whoa, who’s next? Yeah, here a schoolboy with a briefcase rides on the lawn until the adults see and curse.
“I know what causes rain!” This is the water cycle in nature, they told us at school, the water from rivers and seas evaporates, rises upward into the sky, and it is cold in the sky, there the steam becomes water and goes, again it enters the seas and rivers. And then back to heaven! Everything seems to be ... Ah! There are other reasons for rain - if there is no rain, then all life on earth will dry up and die, that's why the rain is coming!
Literate such a guy! All laid out, as if on shelves. Let’s go further, we’ll ask that girl who, with a thoughtful look, torments a camomile, guesses, probably. Love, you know, she is love at 8 years old!
- I don’t know the reasons for the rain, we haven’t gone to school yet ... Probably it rains when someone is sad, I’m always sad when it rains! And if, for example, you love someone, but they don’t love you, then you are sad, as if all the good things had ended ...
It is also quite possible, although it is usually the opposite - and everyone becomes sad. And maybe, indeed, the causes of rain are someone's universal sadness, gathered at one time on the earth ...
Okay, we won’t be very sad, it’s better to ask that little one, thoughtfully poking around in the sandbox. And what? The mouth of the baby, as you know, speaks the truth.
- Mom did not tell me what the causes of rain are ... Why is it raining? I don’t know ... Ah, no, I know! Grandmother said that when it rains in the summer, angels are writing to us from heaven! Therefore, I always hide from the rain!
Well then - it's time to take stock. It seems that everyone should know that rain is a phenomenon caused by the water cycle in nature; some even remember this. But everyone still has their own point of view on what reasons may be. Of course, I want to know what the true causes of rain are, but is it so important! And at least they talked to people.
Do you have your own version - what are the causes of rain?
Rain is the most common rainfall. Even in the lower grades, students are told where the rain comes from. But, despite the availability of teacher explanations, there remains a lot of unclear “why.” For example, why is a small cloud capable of pouring torrents of rain, while black clouds pass by without even splashing? Why do drops come in different sizes and how are they formed?
Rain and water cycle in nature
It all starts with heat. Solar energy causes water to evaporate from the surfaces of oceans, lakes, seas, rivers, other bodies of water, soil and even plants. Turning into steam, it rises into the air. Wind power speeds up the process. Small water particles are not tangible. At high humidity (especially in the tropical zone), you can notice how the bubbles circle around, not dropping, but rather, trying to rise up.
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Causes of rain (rainfall)
Climatology and meteorology - sciences that are directly interested in any precipitation, identify 4 main causes of rain:
- Ascending air movements
- The presence of water vapor in the air, in an amount sufficient to form rain
- Meeting warm and cold air currents
- The presence of elevated landforms
Ascending air movements
The sun heats the earth's surface, and moisture begins to evaporate from it. The evaporation process occurs not only directly from the soil, but also from the surface of the ocean, sea, lake, as well as from leaf blades and human skin. All water that has evaporated while in the air. But, the heated air - in accordance with the laws of physics, begins to slowly rise up. Together with all the water contained in it.
It is necessary to remember important physical concepts - relative and absolute humidity. Absolute is the amount of water vapor that is already - at the moment, contained in the air. Relative humidity is that humidity which is, in relation to that which can be at the given temperature. And the last physical law - the higher the air temperature, the more water vapor it can hold in itself.
There is already some moisture in the ascending air currents. But as you move up, the air temperature drops. Therefore, moisture begins to condense into clouds. When the temperature drops even lower, and the cloud can no longer hold the amount of moisture contained in it, the excess spills in the form of rain.
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The presence of water vapor in the air, in an amount sufficient to form rain
The process is similar to the above, only with clarifications. The rule of rain formation works if water vapor has where to come from - from the surface of freshly plowed soil, a river, a lake mirror or a leaf plate of green seedlings of cabbage and spinach. And if we are in the center of the Sahara desert, then there will be no moisture in the air, no matter how much the sun shines.
The formation of the cloud begins with the process of vaporization, which in nature occurs constantly. The sun heats the earth and water, and thereby accelerates evaporation. The droplets that have come off the water surface are so small that they are held above the ground by warm air currents. Light transparent vapor mixes with the air masses and rises up with them.Meanwhile, the evaporation of water from the surface of the soil and water bodies continues. The wind knocks together small flocks of fog. A cloud forms. Tiny droplets of water vapor move randomly, sometimes they merge and become larger during collisions. However, this is not enough to begin.
For this to happen, the droplets must become large and heavy so that the ascending air currents cannot hold them. One raindrop is obtained by merging with a million other cloud droplets. This is a very lengthy process.
Rain clouds form in the troposphere - the lowest layer of the atmosphere. The troposphere is heating, so the air temperature at the surface of the planet is very different from the temperature a few kilometers above it - it drops by an average of 6 ° C for each rise. Even in the summer heat at an altitude of 8-9 km above the Earth’s surface, arctic cold reigns supreme, and a temperature of -30 ° C is not uncommon here.
The processes taking place inside the cloud
Water vapor rising up along with air currents gradually cools, and then freezes, turning into tiny ice crystals. Thus, ice crystals are in the upper part of the rain cloud, and water droplets are in the lower part.
Inside the cloud, condensation of water vapor occurs. As you know, this process is possible only if there is any surface. Water vapor settles on droplets of water, all kinds of dust particles and specks, raised upward by ascending air currents, as well as on ice crystals. The size and weight of the crystals increases rapidly. They can no longer be held in the air and fall down.
When passing through the thickness of the cloud, ice crystals become even larger and more significant, as condensation continues. If the temperature is positive on the lower border of the cloud, the ice will melt and fall to the ground in the form of rain, if it is minus, it will be hail.
And then it all starts all over again. Numerous rain streams form which replenish the earth's water bodies. Some of the precipitated moisture seeps through the soil and enters underground water bodies. And part of the water evaporates, and a cloud forms above the ground.
\u003e Why is it raining?
How does rain form - Description for children and adults: why it rains on Earth, the water cycle, rainfall, rain on other planets.
Rain brings joy to farmers in the heat and sadness to the melancholy. You are glad to see him if you can no longer withstand the summer heat and get angry if you had to go shopping. However, why does it rain at all and how is it formed on the planet?
To begin with, rain is a liquid form of rainfall. Here you can not do without decoding the water cycle. It all starts with the fact that the Sun evaporates water from various bodies of water, provided that the air temperature is above 0 ° C. Then the steam rises into the atmosphere, where it condenses into water droplets. Their severity makes them fall to the ground again.
This is a well-known water cycle in nature. It is often used to describe fluid travel from bottom to top and back. Two points are important for the appearance of rain: saturation and fusion.
Saturation
In this process, invisible water vapor condenses on the microwave particles, creating tiny droplets. Usually this criterion is conveyed under the guise of relative humidity - a percentage of the total amount of water vapor that can be stored at a certain air temperature.
The amount of stored water vapor until saturated (100% humidity) and transformation into a cloud depends on its temperature mark (the warmer, the more).
Merger
This process is carried out when the air becomes saturated. Then the water droplets begin to merge to create larger ones (due to turbulence in the airspace).
They combine until their weight breaks through air resistance and they fall in the form of rain. It is important to understand that rain is the main source of fresh water for many countries, and also provides the necessary conditions in various ecosystems.
Measurement
In order to record the amount of precipitation, special rain sensors were invented. Most often, they are represented by two cylinders (like a nesting doll), filled with water. The inner one is filled first and transfers water to the second. The remaining precipitation in the external gives an overall estimate in millimeters.
There is also a clinometer, and the cheapest option is a cylinder with a measuring stick. Precipitation is also monitored by weather radar.
Changing of the climate
Of course, climate changes, such as global warming, have a big impact on the usual rainfall. Increased carbon dioxide emissions have raised the average global temperature mark. And this means that much more water has evaporated.
Over the past century, rainfall north of 30 ° has increased, but has decreased in the tropics. It can be noted that North and South America, Northern Europe and Asia have become wetter. But drought intensified in Africa and southern Asia.
Rain on other planets
Yes, we are not the only world where it rains. Our solar system has wet rainfall, although it has virtually no connection with water. For example, it rains constantly on Venus, but you wouldn’t want to take a walk under this stream created from sulfuric acid!
It forms high in the atmospheric layer, where the wind accelerates to 360 km / h. But the drops immediately evaporate, because the surface is heated to 460 ° C. On Saturn’s satellite, Titan, it’s methane rains. He generally has an active hydrological cycle, where hydrocarbon takes the place of water.
Recently received even more amazing wonders. Liquid helium rains may occur on Saturn and Jupiter. It is believed that because of the tremendous pressure on all the gas giants, there are “diamond deposits”. And it's not a joke. Planets have methane, which forms diamonds under pressure.
And another fascinating case is the coronal sunny rain. This occurs when the coronal mass is ejected, during which the plasma cools and falls to the surface. Even whole splashes are created.