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T By Cole A CLOUD WEIGHING MORE THAN AN
AIRPLANE? Did you know that clouds can weigh more than airplanes. You must wonder why doesn't it fall? The air temperature in clouds is warmer causing them to float. And there are times that it actually does fall. When it is foggy outside, that is clouds falling to the ground.
You've probably seen high flying airplanes that leave behind cloud-like
forms .These are called contrails. What causes
these contrails to form? Condensation is the changing of water vapor to a liquid. This happens when the vapor cools and the molecules start coming together to form liquid water. For example, when water vapor in the air gets near a cold object like a glass of ice water or a cold window, the molecules attach to the glass. After a while, more and more attach until droplets form.
To learn more, click on the following links: The Aqua Kids Games and Activities
Bibliography: Badders, W., Carnine, D., Jean Pierre, B., et al. (2009). Georgia science. Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin. Perlman, H. (2008). The Water Cycle: Condensation, Retrieved Feb. 25. 2009, from U.S. Geological Survey Web site: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclecondensaion.html (Picture of airplane) http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclecondensation.html (Picture of water cycle diagram) http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html (Picture of glass of ice water) http://community.seas.columbia.edu/weatherstation/fuse.php?id=24 |
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Have
you ever wondered why your windshield on your car fogs up? Have you ever
wondered when you pick up a cold glass on a hot day, why it leaves a little
water circle on the table? What causes all these phenomenon? It's all condensation. Condensation is
the reason that clouds are clouds, and the rain is rain. Condensation is one
of the most important things in the water cycle. I myself don't know what
we would do without it. 
This is the same process that happens to form clouds. The vapor condenses
on particles in the sky until they form tiny droplets to make a cloud.
As seen in the diagram below, condensation is a very important part of the
water cycle.