upsc notes

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    Precipitation

    Precipitation is nature’s way of delivering water from the atmosphere to the Earth. Imagine warm, moist air rising high into the sky. As it cools down, it reaches a point called the dew point, where the moisture condenses into tiny water droplets or ice crystals. When these droplets or crystals grow heavy enough, they fall…

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    Clouds

    If you are looking up at the sky on a bright afternoon—you see puffy cotton-like shapes drifting lazily, sometimes turning into dark, ominous masses before a storm. These are clouds, nature’s way of storing and transporting water across the globe. But how exactly do these fascinating formations come into existence? Let’s explore in detail: What…

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    Understanding Fog

    Suppose waking up early on a winter morning, stepping outside, and finding the world wrapped in a thick, milky blanket of fog. You can barely see a few meters ahead, and the trees in the distance appear like ghostly silhouettes. But have you ever wondered—what exactly is fog, and how does it form? Let’s take…

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    Stability and Instability of Atmosphere

    Ever wondered why some air rises and forms clouds while other air stays still? It all depends on whether the atmosphere is stable or unstable. What is Atmospheric Stability? Atmospheric stability determines whether air will rise, sink, or stay still. This helps us understand cloud formation, storms, and air movements. Vertical movement in air happens…

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    Condensation

    Imagine stepping out on a chilly morning and noticing tiny water droplets forming on your car windshield or grass blades. Or perhaps you’ve seen your bathroom mirror fog up after a hot shower. What you’re witnessing is condensation—a fundamental process in Earth’s water cycle. What is Condensation? Condensation is the process by which water vapor…

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    Atmospheric Humidity

    Imagine you are standing on the banks of a river, watching the water gently evaporate under the warmth of the sun. Now, what if I told you that the air around you is like an invisible ocean, constantly absorbing and releasing water in the form of vapor? This unseen presence of water in the air…

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    Polar Vortex

    Imagine standing in the vast icy expanse of the Arctic, where the wind howls fiercely, and the temperature plummets to bone-chilling lows. This frozen kingdom is home to a powerful atmospheric phenomenon known as the Polar Vortex—a massive, whirling pool of frigid air that dominates the polar regions, particularly during winter. To truly grasp this…

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    Jet Streams

    Imagine you’re looking at the Earth from space. In the upper part of the troposphere — that is, around 7.5 to 14 km above the surface — there are narrow belts of very fast-moving winds. These are Jet Streams. These winds aren’t spread everywhere like monsoon winds; rather, they are like air highways — strong,…

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    Walker Circulation and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

    Let’s hypothetically imagine that you are standing on the vast Pacific Ocean, feeling the trade winds brush against your face. To your left lies South America, with its cool waters and thriving fisheries, and to your right, the warm waters of Indonesia, pulsing with energy. But what if this balance shifts? That’s exactly what we…