With the aid of a figure, illustrate and describe the circulation ...

[burchfield96]

With the aid of a figure, illustrate and describe the circulation of water in the atmosphere (the hydrologic cycle).
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

High relative humidities are normally found in the tropics and near the poles, where there is little separation between ___________________ _ and ___________________ _.
  Fill in the blank with correct word.

[blfontai]

Answer to Question 1

ANSWER: Student answers may vary slightly, but need to include the terms evaporation, precipitation, and condensation. A detailed answer will state that within the atmosphere, there is an unending circulation of water. Since the oceans occupy over 70 percent of Earth's surface, we can think of this circulation as beginning over the ocean. Here, the Sun's energy transforms enormous quantities of liquid water into water vapor in a process called evaporation. Winds then transport the moist air to other regions, where the water vapor changes back into liquid, forming clouds, in a process called condensation. Under certain conditions, the liquid (or solid) cloud particles may grow in size and fall to the surface as precipitationrain, snow, or hail. If the precipitation falls into an ocean, the water is ready to begin its cycle again. If, on the other hand, the precipitation falls on a continent, a great deal of the water returns to the ocean only after a complex journey. This cycle of moving and transforming water molecules from liquid to vapor and back to liquid again is called the hydrologic (water) cycle.

Answer to Question 2

ANSWER: air temperature; dew point

[burchfield96]

TYSM

[momolu]

Excellent