Everyone has seen clouds. They are large and small, almost transparent and very thick, white or dark, pre-stormy. Taking various forms, they resemble animals and objects. But what do clouds form from and why do they look like that? We will talk about this below.
What is a cloud
Those who flew on an airplane must have "passed" through the cloud and noticed that it looks like fog, only it is not directly above the ground, but high in the sky. The comparison is quite logical, because both of them are ordinary steam. And it, in turn, consists of microscopic droplets of water. Where do they come from?
This water rises into the air as a result of evaporation from the surface of the earth and water bodies. Therefore, the greatest accumulation of clouds is observed over the seas. During the year, about 400 thousand cubic kilometers evaporate from their surface, which is 4 times higher than that of land.
What types of clouds are there? It all depends on the state of the water that forms them. It can be gaseous, liquid or solid. It may seem surprising, but some clouds are actually made of ice.
We are alreadyfound that clouds are formed as a result of the accumulation of a large number of water particles. But to complete the process, a link is needed, to which the drops will "stick" and come together. Often this role is played by dust, smoke or s alt.
Classification
The height of the location largely determines what clouds are formed from and how they will look. As a rule, the white masses that we are used to seeing in the sky appear in the troposphere. Its upper limit varies depending on the geographical location. The closer an area is to the equator, the higher standard clouds can form. For example, above an area with a tropical climate, the boundary of the troposphere is located at an altitude of about 18 km, and beyond the Arctic Circle - 10 km.
The formation of clouds is possible at high altitudes, but they are currently little studied. For example, mother-of-pearl appears in the stratosphere, while silver appears in the mesosphere.
Clouds of the troposphere are conditionally divided into types depending on the height at which they are located - in the upper, middle or lower tiers of the troposphere. Air movement also has a big impact on cloud formation. In a calm environment, cirrus and stratus clouds form, but if the air masses of the troposphere move unevenly, the likelihood of cumulus clouds increases.
Top Tier
This gap covers a section of the sky at an altitude of more than 6 km and up to the edge of the troposphere. Given that the air temperature here does not rise above 0 degrees, it is easy to guess what clouds form in the upper tier. It could beice only.
In appearance, the clouds located here are divided into 3 types:
- Cirrus. They have a wavy structure and can look like individual strands, stripes or entire ridges.
- Cirrocumulus are small balls, whorls or flakes.
- Cirro-layered are a translucent likeness of a fabric that "covers" the sky. Clouds of this type can stretch over the entire sky or occupy only a small area.
The height of a cloud in the upper tier can vary greatly depending on various factors. It can be several hundred meters or tens of kilometers.
Middle and lower tier
The middle tier is the part of the troposphere, usually located between 2 and 6 km. Here there are altocumulus clouds, which are three-dimensional gray or white masses. They consist of water in the warm season and, accordingly, of ice in the cold. The second type of clouds is altostratus. They have a milky gray color and often completely cover the sky. Such clouds carry precipitation in the form of drizzle or light snow, but they rarely reach the surface of the earth.
The lower tier represents the sky directly above us. Clouds here can be of 4 types:
- Sterocumulus in the form of blocks or shafts of gray color. May carry precipitation unless temperatures are too low.
- Layered. Are located below all others, have a graycolor.
- Nimbostratus. As you can understand by the name, they carry precipitation, and, as a rule, they are of a continuous nature. They are gray clouds with no definite shape.
- Cumulus. One of the most recognizable clouds. They look like powerful heaps and clubs with an almost flat base. Such clouds do not bring precipitation.
There is another species that is not included in the general list. These are cumulonimbus clouds. They develop vertically and are present in each of the three tiers. Such clouds bring showers, thunderstorms and hail, so they are often called thunderclouds or shower clouds.
Cloud lifespan
For those who know what clouds form from, the question of their lifespan may also be interesting. Humidity plays a big role here. It is a kind of source of vitality for the clouds. If the air in the troposphere is dry enough, then the cloud cannot survive for long. If the humidity is high, it may hover in the sky longer until it becomes more powerful to produce rain.
As for the shape of the cloud, its life span is very short. Water particles tend to constantly move, evaporate and reappear. Therefore, the same cloud shape cannot persist even for 5 minutes.
