🔍 Key Concepts

• precipitation means water particles that fall from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface • difference between falling hydrometeors (like rain, snow, sleet) and moisture that forms on surfaces • how phase changes of water (gas, liquid, solid) can happen either in the air or directly on objects

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself: which options actually involve water DROPPING from clouds to the ground, and which one forms directly on surfaces? • Think about when you see each of these: do you see it coming down from the sky, or does it appear on cold objects like grass, railings, or decks? • Which of these would normally be measured in a rain gauge or reported as a type of falling weather at sea or in a forecast?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify which options are produced in clouds and fall to the ground under gravity. • Check which one forms when moist air near the surface cools below the dew point and deposits on objects instead of falling through the air. • Confirm in your mind: would a weather report list this as a type of falling precipitation, or as a surface deposit?