What phenomenon describes the process where air is forced to ascend over sloping terrain?

Orographic lift is the phenomenon where air is forced to rise when it encounters a physical barrier, such as a mountain or hill. When wind flows toward an elevated area, it must ascend over the slope. As the air rises, it expands and cools, which can lead to cloud formation and precipitation on the windward side of the terrain. This process is crucial in meteorology, as it significantly impacts local weather patterns and precipitation distribution in mountainous regions.

In contrast, convergence refers to the situation where air masses come together, leading to upward motion, but it does not specifically involve sloping terrain. Frontal lift occurs when warmer air is forced to rise over cooler air masses, a different mechanism related to weather fronts. Mechanical turbulence involves irregular airflow patterns often caused by surface roughness or obstructions, rather than the systematic rise of air over a slope. Each of these processes plays a role in weather dynamics, but orographic lift specifically describes the ascension of air over sloped terrains.