What phenomenon can occur when warm air rises over a cold surface?

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Warm air rising over a cold surface can lead to fog formation due to the cooling of the air near the ground. When the warm, moist air comes into contact with the cooler surface, it loses heat, causing the moisture in the air to condense. This condensation forms tiny droplets of water that cluster together to create fog.

Fog typically forms under conditions where there is sufficient moisture in the air and the temperature of the air drops to the dew point. The interaction between the warm air and the cold surface effectively creates a situation conducive to this process, highlighting a key weather phenomenon.

In contrast, clear skies are generally associated with stable atmospheric conditions where there is little moisture available for cloud or fog formation. A temperature inversion occurs when warmer air traps cooler air at the surface, which can inhibit the rising of warm air and may also contribute to fog in some scenarios, but it is not a direct consequence of the warm air rising itself. The option suggesting no effect does not acknowledge the clear impact that temperature differences can have on air behavior and moisture.

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