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When an air mass rises up a mountain side the air cools as it rises. Cool air can not hold as much moisture as warm air so the humidity will increase until the dew point is reached whereupon the water will come out of the air (as mist/clouds and rain/snow).
On the other side of the mountain the air comes down again and as it has lost its water it is now very dry this side of the mountain is called a rain shadow.
What else can I help you with?
How do convection currents form downdrafts in deserts near tall mountain ranges?
Warm air expands and rises from the base on one side of the mountain. It cools and contracts in the clouds above the mountain and sinks back down but on the desert side of the mountains. This way both sides of the mountain are heated properly.
Which side of a mountain would a desert most likely form?
the eastern side because there is less rain/moisture.
What portion of a mountain recieves little precipitation?
The windward side (as opposed to the leeward side). This is the side facing the prevailing wind, where the air is forced up the mountain where it must cool, condense, and precipitate out its moisture. As it passes the mountain it will sink, whereby it compresses and warms, which is not conducive to precipitation or even clouds.
What is another name for the orographic effect?
The orographic effect occurs when winf from over the ocean passes over a mountain and the lack of rain creates a desert on the other side.
What is the initial transfer of energy that accelerates the rock down the side of the mountain?
Potential energy is converted into kinetic energy
What will happen if a high humidity air mass located over an ocean moves inland an up a mountain slope and why?
When a high humidity air mass moves inland and up a mountain slope, it will cool as it rises, leading to the condensation of water vapor and the formation of clouds. This can result in increased precipitation on the windward side of the mountain due to orographic lift. As the air mass descends on the leeward side, it warms and dries out, creating a rain shadow effect where the area experiences less rainfall.
What effect forces an air mass upward and down the leeward side of the mountain?
Orographic uplift occurs when an air mass is forced to rise up a mountain slope. As the air rises, it cools adiabatically and condenses to form clouds and precipitation on the windward side of the mountain. On the leeward side, the now drier air descends and warms adiabatically, resulting in a rain shadow effect where little precipitation falls.
What happens to warn moist air which rises up the western side of a mountain?
The warm moist air rises along the western side of the mountain, cools as it gains altitude, and condenses, forming clouds and precipitation. This process is known as orographic lifting, and it leads to increased rainfall on the windward side of the mountain.
When the air rises over the mountain which side of the mountain is dry and which side is warm?
The dry side of a mountain is called the leeward side. This is the side away from the wind. The dry area is known as a rain shadow.
What happens when warm air rises and is replaced by cooler air?
Yes, warm air expands and rises, while cold air contracts and sinks. It could happen that a low cold air stream is forced to rise when coming up against a high mountain range. Though, once over the range, the cold air tends to cling to the far side of the range as it sinks into the bottom of the valleys on the other side.
Does your mass decrease if you move up a mountain side where the value of g decreases?
Yes, your mass does not change, but your weight will decrease as you move up a mountain side where the value of gravity (g) decreases.
What happens to air as it rises over a mountain range?
On the windward side of a mountain range, air rises, cools, and drops its moisture. On the leeward side of a mountain range air descends, heats up, and dries the land. Deserts are common behind mountains. (493) Glencoe Texas Science, Grade 8 © 2002
How did mountains add desertification?
Due to the change in atmospheric conditions a mountain can cause, the windward side of the mountain received the rain while the leeward side of the mountain does not receive the moisture creating a desert landscape. As the moisture rises to overtake the mountain the clouds condense creating rain on the windward side which creates an atmosphere of little to no moisture on the leeward side of the mountain.
Windward and leeward side of a mountain?
The windward side of a mountain is typically the west side of the mountain, receiving the various weather as weather moves west to east. The leeward side of a mountain opposes the windward side, making it the east side of the mountain, receiving little weather, blocking weather (rain) and warming air rapidly as it moves down this side of the mountain. The leeward side of mountains causes deserts, dry places, little rain, etc., for it releases warm air unto these places, and blocks weather (rain) from moistening them (I.E. Las Vegas, etc. on the eastern side of the mountain ranges).
When a warm moist air mass moves toward a mountain range what happens?
As the warm moist air mass rises over the mountain range, it cools and condenses, leading to the formation of clouds and precipitation on the windward side of the mountains. This process is known as orographic lifting and can result in heavy rainfall on the mountainsides. On the leeward side of the mountains, the air mass descends and warms, creating a rain shadow effect with drier conditions.
Why is precipitation more abundant on one side e of the mountain?
When moist air rises up a mountain, it cools and condenses, leading to precipitation on the windward side. As the air descends down the other side, it warms and dries out, creating a rain shadow effect. This creates a drier climate on the leeward side of the mountain.
What climate on the leeward side of a mountain differs from that on the windward side mostly in?
The leeward side of a mountain tends to be drier than the windward side because as air descends down the mountain, it warms, inhibiting precipitation. This phenomenon is known as the rain shadow effect. Additionally, the leeward side often experiences higher temperatures and lower humidity compared to the windward side.
