What term describes the process by which air rises, cools, and forms clouds?

The term that describes the process by which air rises, cools, and forms clouds is convection. Convection involves the transfer of heat through the movement of air or liquid. When air is heated, it becomes less dense and rises. As it rises, it expands and cools. When the air cools sufficiently, the water vapor contained in it can condense into tiny droplets, leading to cloud formation. This process is a crucial part of the Earth's weather system and contributes to the development of various types of clouds.

Condensation refers specifically to the process of water vapor turning into liquid water, which is a part of the cloud formation process but does not encompass the entire mechanism of rising and cooling air. Evaporation is the process whereby liquid water transforms into vapor, which happens before condensation and is not about air rising and cooling. Circulation refers to the general movement of air in the atmosphere but does not specifically describe the process of rising air cooling to form clouds.