204 questions and answers in this section

Natural Sciences » Meteorology

Explain why hail can vary in size within the same storm?

Explain why hail can vary in size within the same storm?

When a storm forms, all the water droplets or ice crystals at the outset are not identical. Some are already larger or smaller than others...

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Explain why the wind can smell the rain before it arrives?

Explain why the wind can smell the rain before it arrives?

The wind works a bit like an express delivery service for scents. Before it rains, atmospheric pressure drops, allowing the wind to push ahead certain...

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Explain why the color of the clouds can predict the weather?

Explain why the color of the clouds can predict the weather?

The color of clouds primarily depends on how the sun's rays interact with them. When light passes through a cloud, some of it is scattered, absorbed, or...

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Explain why rain can smell different after a long dry spell?

Explain why rain can smell different after a long dry spell?

Some microbes, such as actinobacteria, live quietly in the soil during dry periods. When the rain finally falls, it hits the ground and suddenly releases...

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Explain why twilight is often red-orange?

Explain why twilight is often red-orange?

Rayleigh scattering is a matter of size: when sunlight passes through our atmosphere, it encounters a whole bunch of small air molecules (mostly nitrogen and...

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Explain why dolphins can see through murky water?

Explain why dolphins can see through murky water?

The eyes of dolphins are specially adapted for underwater vision. Their cornea is very thick, which facilitates focusing in an aquatic environment. And unlike us, their lens...

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Explain why weather forecasts are not always accurate?

Explain why weather forecasts are not always accurate?

The weather is anything but calm: it is constantly changing. The atmosphere is in constant motion, with warm air rising, cold air sinking, and humidity...

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Explain why February 29 only appears every four years in the calendar.

Explain why February 29 only appears every four years in the calendar.

Our calendar is based on a year linked to the Earth's revolution around the Sun. This duration is actually about 365.2422 days and not exactly...

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Explain why some regions of the world are more prone to tornadoes than others?

Explain why some regions of the world are more prone to tornadoes than others?

Tornadoes often occur in regions where very different air currents meet. It all starts when warm, humid currents from the south violently collide with cold, dry air...

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Explain why it is hailing instead of raining in a specific location?

Explain why it is hailing instead of raining in a specific location?

Hail originates in the heart of thunderstorms, more specifically in large cumulonimbus clouds, which are these super dense clouds with strong vertical development. Inside, there's...

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