What process occurs when warm air rises and then cools?

When warm air rises, it expands and cools as it reaches higher altitudes where the atmospheric pressure is lower. This cooling process can lead to condensation, which is the transition of water vapor in the air back into liquid water droplets. As the air cools, it loses its ability to hold moisture, resulting in the formation of clouds. When these droplets combine and grow heavy enough, they eventually fall to the ground as precipitation, which includes rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

In this context, the correct answer focuses on recognizing that as warm air rises and cools, it leads to the condensation of water vapor. The subsequent effect of this process is precipitation when the condensation reaches critical mass. Thus, choosing precipitation emphasizes understanding the natural sequence of events in the water cycle that follows the cooling of rising warm air.