First an introduction on clouds will be given, and then they will be discussed from a scientific point of view. Clouds have also appeared in legends and stories in different cultures, and so clouds in mythology will also be discussed!
Introduction
... So we've all seen them: fluffy white clouds in the bright blue sky! Sometimes even in familiar shapes - faces, ice cream, even dinosaurs! If it's a sunny day, it's nice to sit under a tree and watch the clouds move by! Though, sometimes they are dark and then it rains!
So let's start with the obvious - let's see how the word cloud is defined in the Oxford dictionary.
cloud - (n) 1. a visible mass of condensed watery vapour floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the general level of the ground. 2. an indistinct or billowing mass of smoke, dust, etc. 3. a large number of insects or birds moving together. 4. a state or cause of gloom or anxiety.
We'll be concentrating on the first definition in this website.
To be a bit more precise, clouds are forms of condensation droplets of water and ice in the atmosphere. Colour-wise, they are usually white, but a very dense mass of cloud can be darker, as light does not pass through it.
How is it formed?
Well, when invisible water vapour, vapourised from seas and lakes for example, it condenses and forms visible dropplets of water or ice. When they gather in a mass, we see them as clouds.
But what makes it condense? It can condense if there's enough water vapour in the atmosphere, or it can happen when the air is cooled until it reaches it saturation point. A cold front, convection and warm air passing above cold water can all be causes of condensation and thus cloud formation.
Ok, now that we know a bit about clouds and how they are formed (in very simple terms!), let's see what types of clouds there are! Maybe the next time you look at the sky, you'll be able to spot one by it's shape!