Final answer:
Hot air rises due to convection, cools at higher altitudes causing the water vapor to condense into clouds. This is partly driven by the heat released when water vapor condenses, which in turn pushes the air even higher through positive feedback, and can result in various forms of precipitation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rising hot air can form clouds and condensation due to a combination of convection and phase change. When water evaporates from the ocean's surface, it removes heat energy from the ocean. If this water vapor, which contains the absorbed heat, then condenses into liquid droplets, heat is released into the atmosphere. This release of heat causes the surrounding air to expand, become less dense, and rise. As the warm air ascends, it reaches higher and cooler regions of the atmosphere. Here, the vapors cool down further and condense more, leading to cloud formation. This upward motion and cooling serve as a positive feedback mechanism, continually intensifying the process and can lead to the development of thunderheads, thunderstorms, lightning, hail, and even hurricanes.
As a cloud forms through this process, condensation releases even more energy, pushing air parcels further upward into colder regions, which fuels additional condensation and cloud growth - exemplifying the principle of positive feedback. The water cycle is thus driven by convection currents and the phase changes of water, contributing to various forms of precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet, and hail, which return water to the Earth's surface.