Moisture in the Atmosphere Chapter 18
Water’s Change of State 18.1 Brain Pop: States of Matter Brain Pop: Matter Changing States
Water vapor is the most important gas in the atmosphere when it comes to understanding atmospheric processes and weather changes. Water vapor varies from nearly 0% to 4% of the atmosphere’s composition by volume. Water exists in the atmosphere in all three states of matter: solid, liquid, & gas. Water can undergo six different phase changes while interacting between the atmosphere and the surface of the ground.
Solid: snow hail ice
rain and cloud droplets Liquid: rain and cloud droplets
Gas: invisible H2O vapor
H2O may change from one state to another:
Melting: from solid ice to liquid H2O
Freezing: liquid H2O to solid ice
Evaporation: from liquid H2O to H2O vapor
Condensation: from H2O vapor to liquid H2O Example: Dew!
Sublimation: change from solid ice to H2O vapor Example: Dry ice
Deposition: from H2O vapor to solid ice Example: Frost!