What is precipitation in meteorological terms?

Precipitation in meteorological terms refers to any form of water, liquid or solid, that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface. This process primarily begins with the joining of several small cloud droplets. As these droplets coalesce, they grow larger; once they become heavy enough, gravity causes them to fall as precipitation, which can include rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

The process of cloud droplet formation and growth is essential in the water cycle and affects weather patterns. By understanding that precipitation is the result of cloud droplet aggregation, one can see how conditions within the atmosphere, including temperature and humidity, influence weather events.

The other options refer to separate meteorological phenomena. The movement of air masses is related to wind patterns and climate, the formation of hurricanes involves complex systems of wind and pressure differences, and the cooling of ocean waters involves temperature changes but does not directly correlate with the definition of precipitation.