What happens when air becomes warmer and?

As the molecules heat and move faster, they are moving apart. So air, like most other substances, expands when heated and contracts when cooled. Because there is more space between the molecules, the air is less dense than the surrounding matter and the hot air floats upward.

What happens when Chinook wind is drawn down the leeward slopes of the mountain range?

As a chinook wind is drawn down the leeward slopes of a mountain range, The air temperature rises. As a consequence, the air is warm and dry, causing rapid temperature rises and reduction in snow cover.

Would you expect to see clouds and precipitation on the lee side of the mountain?

As the air moves up the windward side of a mountain, it cools, and the volume decreases. As a result, humidity increases and orographic clouds and precipitation can develop. When the air descends the leeward side, it warms and is drier because the moisture in the air was wrung out during the ascent.

What happens when air becomes?

Because each molecule uses more space for motion, the air expands and becomes less dense (lighter). The opposite effect happens when air cools. As the temperature drops, molecules move more slowly, taking up less room. The amount of space the air takes up shrinks, or reduces the air pressure.

What happens to the surrounding air when warm air rises in the atmosphere?

As air warms up, the molecules start to vibrate and bump into each other, increasing the space around each molecule. Because each molecule uses more space for motion, the air expands and becomes less dense (lighter).

What happens to the water vapor as it rises over the mountain?

Because air is cooler at higher altitude in the troposphere, water vapor cools as it rises high in the atmosphere and transforms into water droplets by a process called condensation. The water droplets that form make up clouds.

What happens to air as it sinks down the leeward side of a mountain?

The orographic effect creates cooler air moving up the windward side of mountains and warmer air moving down the leeward side. Often, as the leeward air plunges down the slope, it warms quite dramatically and rapidly. Such rapid warming and drying of air can produce very high winds known as Chinook or Foehn winds.

What happens to warm moist air as it rises over the mountain?

As the relatively warm, moist air rises over the windward side of the mountains, it cools and contracts. If the air is humid, it may form clouds and drop rain or snow. When the air sinks on the leeward side of the mountains, it forms a high pressure zone.

What kind of precipitation causes dry areas to develop on the leeward sides of mountain ranges?

rain shadow effect
The rain shadow effect often causes dry areas — and even deserts — to develop on the lee- ward sides of mountain ranges.

What happens to air when it moves down the leeward side?

Why does the warm air move upwards?

Hot air rises because gases expand as they heat up. When air heats up and expands, its density also decreases. The warmer, less dense air effectively floats on top of the colder, denser air below it. This creates a buoyant force that causes the warmer air to rise.

When air expands what does it become?

When the air expands, it becomes thinner due to the atomic collision decreases. ‘ This is the reason air becomes thinner during the expansion time.