Can I See Some I.D. Please?

Identifying Clouds

Can you tell the difference between the clouds in these two pictures? By the end of this lesson, you will be able to.

Clouds come in many different forms. There are similarities in the formation of all cloud types, but there are also differences. First we will talk about the similarities. Next we will examine some of the different cloud types and learn the names of those clouds. We will even talk a little about U.F.O.'s!

The Birth Of A Cloud

In the last lesson we talked about condensation. What we did not mention was condensation nuclei. Condensation nuclei are microscopically small and can be anything from dust, to ash or just about anything else that may float in the atmosphere.

These nuclei provide a surface for water molecules to initially cling to, forming a water droplet. As the droplet gets larger it begins to act as a sponge, soaking up more water molecules at an increasing rate. Once the droplets become big enough to see, a cloud or fog is born. If the droplets continue to grow and become heavy enough to fall they are now called raindrops.