Precipitation is any type of water that forms in the Earth's atmosphere and then drops onto the surface of the Earth.
by Sonia Gutierrez
1. Water vapor, droplets of water suspended in the air, builds up in the Earth's atmosphere. Water vapor in the atmosphere is visible as clouds and fog. Water vapor collects with other materials, such as dust, in clouds.
2. The most common types of precipitation are rain, hail, and snow.
3. Precipitation condenses, or forms, around these tiny pieces of material, called cloud condensation nuclei. Clouds eventually get too full of water vapor, and the precipitation turns into rain or a snow.
4. Precipitation falls to the ground as snow and rain. It eventually evaporates and rises back into the atmosphere as a gas. In clouds, it turns back into liquid or solid water, and it falls to Earth again. People rely on precipitation for fresh water to drink, bathe, and irrigate crops for food.
5. The most common types of precipitation are rain, hail, and snow.
6. Source: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/ education/encyclopedia/precipitation/?ar_a=1
