How to Understand Cloud Formation

Clouds are beautiful and come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Look up in the sky on any given day, and you are bound to see a cloud of some type. But where do clouds come from? And how do they form? Read on to get a grasp of the intricacies of cloud formation!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Knowledge

1. 
    

   Clouds are Water - Clouds, no matter their shape or size, are nothing but suspended water vapor that has condensed into visible water droplets.

2. 
    

   Clouds Need Lift - In order for a cloud to form, the water vapor that ultimately becomes a cloud has to be lifted up into the atmosphere high enough for it to cool and condense into a visible cloud.

3. 
    

   Lifting Can Occur Many Ways - Any process that causes a large mass of air to be lifted up into the atmosphere can result in cloud formation. For instance, air that is forced up and over a large mountain range can result in cloud formation. Hot, humid air, which tends to rise rapidly, often results in large, impressive cloud formations as well.

4. 
    

   Dew Point Has to be Reached - The point at which rising water vapor condenses to form a visible water droplet, or cloud, is called the dew point temperature. This is the air temperature at which saturation, or 100% humidity, occurs.