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What is rain?

It rains quite a lot in Scotland but what is rain and where does it come from?

In this article you can learn:

  • Where rain comes from
  • How a cloud forms
  • How to measure rainfall
  • How much rain different places get around the world

This article is suitable for weather topics for primary school learners.

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Video - What is rain?

Watch this video to learn all about rain and the wettest and driest countries in the world.

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Where does rain come from?

  1. The air is full of .
  2. When air cools down the water vapour condenses from a gas into a liquid and forms tiny water droplets.
  3. Water droplets gather to form clouds.
  4. The water droplets get bigger and heavier. The air can't hold them up any longer.
  5. The water droplets fall down to the ground as rain.

Rain is part of the water cycle.

Rain around the world

Learn how we can measure rain and compare rainfall in different parts of the world.

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 5, A rain gauge, Rain gauge We use an instrument called a rain gauge to measure the amount of rainfall there is.
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How to measure rainfall

Video - Measuring rainfall

With help from 大象传媒 Weather's Kawser Quamer, we can learn:

  • Why it is important to measure rainfall
  • How we measure rain at weather stations using a rain gauge
  • How to make your own rain gauge

Why is it important to measure rainfall?

Rainfall has a big effect on our daily lives and the environment we live in. We need the water from rainfall to survive but too much or too little rain can make life difficult. Learn more about how rain affects us here.

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Key words

Key words about rain

  • rain - Liquid water that falls from the sky.
  • precipitation - Any water that falls from the sky. Precipitation can be rain, snow, hail or sleet.
  • water vapour - Water when it is an invisible gas.
  • condense - When water turns from a gas into a liquid.
  • meteorologist - A scientist who studies the weather and climate.
  • rain gauge - An instrument used to measure the rain.
  • desert - A place which receives very little or no rain.
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Test your knowledge

Quiz

Make your own rain gauge

Challenge

You can measure rain at home or at school with your own rain gauge.

  1. Carefully cut the top off a plastic bottle.
  2. Use the top of the bottle as a . It should be the same width at the bottle.
  3. Add jelly to the bottle to give the base a level surface.
  4. Attach a ruler to your bottle. The 0cm mark should line up with the level top of the jelly.
  5. Dig a hole for your rain gauge (away from buildings and trees) and wait and see how much rain it catches!
  6. Record your results every day with a daily chart.

How to make a rain gauge. video

The pupils of St Monica鈥檚 Primary show you how to make your own rain gauge.

How to make a rain gauge
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