Clouds are collections of microscopic water droplets and ice crystals that float in the air. They are made up of millions of particles. These millions of little particles are water droplets that have evaporated from oceans, lakes, rivers, and so on. Clouds form by condensation which is when water vapor changes from a gas back into liquid.
Clouds give the most accurate clue about the coming weather. Certain types of clouds often appear before a storm. A smokestack of clouds is a very good prediction of a thunderstorm. .
Storm clouds often look gray because they are so thick that most of the sun's light cannot pass through them. The heating and cooling of the earth is regulated by clouds.
The reason clouds are white is because of the sunlight passing through them. The sunlight hits each individual drop of water in the clouds which in turn breaks down the light like a spectrum would. Eventually all the colors are reflected to form the color white. A cloud may look light and fluffy but a relatively small cloud can weigh up to 550 tons. This is more than a 747 airplane carrying a full load of passengers. With such .
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enormous weight, the only reason clouds float is because of the force of the rising air.
Not all clouds produce rain. Clouds produce only about 10% of precipitation. In a matter of fact water vapor make up clouds. Only the nimbus clouds make rain. The most well known cloud is the cumulonimbus. The cumulonimbus are about 9,000 feet above the ground.
Cirrus clouds have a very interesting and unique shape. They look thin with wispy strands. They are located between 4,500 ft and three miles above the earth's surface.
Cumulus clouds are the puffiest clouds. They are formed about less than a mile above the ground.
