The correct answer is option 1: precipitation.
Precipitation refers to any form of water that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth`s surface. Snow, sleet, and hail are all examples of precipitation.
Snow occurs when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses directly into ice crystals, which then fall to the ground. Sleet is a mixture of raindrops that freeze into ice pellets before reaching the ground. Hail forms when strong updrafts in thunderstorms carry raindrops upward into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere, causing them to freeze and form layers of ice.
Option 2, condensation, refers to the process by which water vapor changes from a gas to a liquid as it cools and loses energy. While snow, sleet, and hail do involve condensation, they are specifically forms of precipitation.
Option 3, transpiration, is the process by which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere through their leaves. This is not the correct option as it is not related to snow, sleet, and hail.
Option 4, evaporation, is the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas as it heats up and gains energy. While evaporation is involved in the water cycle that leads to precipitation, it is not