{"id":2834,"date":"2026-04-22T19:27:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/?p=2834"},"modified":"2026-04-22T19:27:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:57:45","slug":"artificial-way-of-causing-rainfall-to-reduce-air-pollution-makes-use-of","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/upsc\/prelims\/artificial-way-of-causing-rainfall-to-reduce-air-pollution-makes-use-of","title":{"rendered":"Artificial way of causing rainfall to reduce air pollution makes use of"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list mcq\">\n<li><strong>Silver iodide and potassium iodide\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Silver nitrate and potassium iodide\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Silver iodide and potassium nitrate\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Silver nitrate and potassium chloride\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Answer:&nbsp;(a) Silver iodide and potassium iodide&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"artificial-rainfall\">Artificial Rainfall<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Artificial rainfall, more commonly known as\u00a0<strong>cloud seeding<\/strong>, is a technique used to induce or enhance precipitation from clouds. It is increasingly being explored in India\u00a0<strong>as a way to combat severe\u00a0air pollution, particularly in cities like Delhi,\u00a0<\/strong>where high levels of particulate matter and smog make air quality dangerous.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The process of cloud seeding involves dispersing certain substances into the atmosphere that serve as\u00a0<strong>cloud condensation or ice nuclei<\/strong>. These particles encourage water vapor in the atmosphere to condense into water droplets or ice crystals. When these droplets become heavy enough, they fall as rain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One of the most commonly used chemicals for this purpose is\u00a0<strong>silver iodide (AgI)<\/strong>. This compound has a\u00a0<strong>crystalline structure similar to ice<\/strong>, which makes it effective in stimulating the formation of ice crystals within cold clouds. Once seeded, the silver iodide helps initiate the process of condensation and precipitation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><mark>In addition to\u00a0<strong>silver iodide<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>potassium iodide (KI)<\/strong>\u00a0is also used.<\/mark>\u00a0It can serve a similar function by acting as a condensation nucleus, though it is less commonly used than silver iodide. Together, these chemicals can enhance the cloud\u2019s ability to produce rainfall, helping to\u00a0<strong>clear out pollutants from the air<\/strong>\u00a0by washing them down to the ground.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This method has been considered by Indian authorities during peak pollution seasons as a way to create artificial rain and thereby\u00a0<strong>reduce the concentration of pollutants<\/strong>\u00a0in the lower atmosphere.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cloud-Seeding-1024x725.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53565\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"types-of-cloud-seeding\"><strong>Types of Cloud Seeding:<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Static Cloud Seeding:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This method involves introducing\u00a0<strong>ice nuclei<\/strong>, such as\u00a0<strong>silver iodide or dry ice, into cold clouds<\/strong>\u00a0that have supercooled liquid water droplets.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The ice nuclei can trigger the formation of ice crystals or snowflakes, which can grow at the expense of the liquid droplets and fall as precipitation.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dynamic Cloud Seeding:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Dynamic cloud seeding<\/strong>\u00a0is a technique to artificially stimulate rainfall by enhancing vertical air currents, thereby promoting the formation and growth of rain clouds<strong>.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The process is considered more complex than static cloud seeding because it depends on a sequence of events working properly.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hygroscopic Cloud Seeding:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This method involves\u00a0<strong>spraying fine particles of hygroscopic materials<\/strong>, such as\u00a0<strong>salts<\/strong>\u00a0through\u00a0<strong>flares or explosives\u00a0<\/strong>into the base of warm clouds.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The particles can act as cloud condensation nuclei and increase the number and size of the cloud droplets, which can enhance the reflectivity and stability of the clouds.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Glaciogenic Cloud Seeding:\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It involves\u00a0<strong>inducing ice formation in supercooled clouds<\/strong>\u00a0by dispersing ice nuclei such as silver iodide or dry ice, leading to ice nucleation and precipitation.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Applications of the Technique:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cloud seeding is\u00a0<strong>also used to enhance winter snowfall and increase mountain snowpack,\u00a0<\/strong>supplementing the natural water supply for nearby communities.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cloud seeding can also be done to<strong>\u00a0prevent hailstorms, dissipate fog, induce rainfall in drought-prone regions<\/strong>, or reduce air pollution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"challenges-in-implementation-of-cloud-seeding\">Challenges in Implementation of Cloud Seeding:<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Environmental Impact:\u00a0<\/strong>As artificial rain falls, seeding agents like silver iodide, dry ice or salt will also fall.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Residual silver discovered in places near cloud-seeding projects is considered toxic. As for dry ice, it can also be a source of\u00a0<strong>greenhouse gas<\/strong>\u00a0that contributes to\u00a0<strong>global warming<\/strong>\u00a0(carbon dioxide).\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Temporary Relief:\u00a0<\/strong>While cloud seeding may provide\u00a0<strong>short-term relief from air pollution<\/strong>\u00a0by washing away particulate matter, it does not address the root causes of pollution such as vehicular emissions and industrial discharges.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong>\u00a0Cloud seeding in Lahore, improved AQI from \u201cpoor\u201d to \u201cmoderate.\u201d However, the effects were short-lived.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Availability Issues:<\/strong>\u00a0Cloud seeding\u00a0<strong>requires the presence of moisture-filled clouds<\/strong>, which are not always available or predictable.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Specific cloud characteristics, including liquid water content and vertical motion, were used to identify clouds with potential for rainfall.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Costly:<\/strong>\u00a0It involves processes such as delivering chemicals to the sky and releasing them into the air by flare shots or aeroplanes, which involves huge costs and logistic preparation.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong>\u00a0Cloud seeding in Delhi requires Rs 13 crore to cover the entire aerial area of 1,300 square kilometers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Answer:&nbsp;(a) Silver iodide and potassium iodide&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Artificial Rainfall Types of Cloud Seeding: Applications of the Technique: Challenges in Implementation of Cloud Seeding:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1],"tags":[36],"years":[63],"class_list":["post-2834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prelims","category-upsc","tag-environment","years-63"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":3,"label":"Prelims"},{"value":1,"label":"UPSC"}],"post_tag":[{"value":36,"label":"Environment"}],"years":[{"value":63,"label":"2025"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"LotusArise","author_link":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/author\/team-lotusarise"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":3,"name":"Prelims","slug":"prelims","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":1,"count":1251,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":3,"category_count":1251,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Prelims","category_nicename":"prelims","category_parent":1},{"term_id":1,"name":"UPSC","slug":"upsc","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":1269,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":1,"category_count":1269,"category_description":"","cat_name":"UPSC","category_nicename":"upsc","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":36,"name":"Environment","slug":"environment","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":36,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":193,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2834"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2834\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2834"},{"taxonomy":"years","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/years?post=2834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}