Do you know the basic ingredients for weather? Check here!
"What do you think
is the main process behind cloud formation?
Choose one of the answers below:
liquid (water) to a gas (water vapor)?
Type your answer in the box below.
The water molecules in this glass of liquid water are all moving around at different speeds and in different directions. At the surface, some of these molecules are moving fast enough and in the right direction to escape into the air. When the molecules do this, the water is evaporating.
If we heat the water, the liquid water molecules will move even faster. This will increase the amount of evaporation taking place at the liquid's surface.
To reverse the evaporation process, we can cool the air above the glass of water. If we do this, the water vapor molecules in the air slow down. As they slow down, some molecules are not able to maintain their vapor form. They cluster (condense) in the air to form tiny liquid droplets.
A cloud is composed of tiny water droplets (or ice crystals) that are
suspended in the air. If the droplets become large enough,they may be
visible as a cloud or fog.They may also fall to Earth in the form of rain
(or snow).
Can you explain how the speed of water molecules applies to the process of freezing and melting?
Click here learn about different cloud types!
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