Book 2, Question 129 · Video
Why Does It Rain?
Have you ever watched a big gray cloud open up and pour? Clouds get too heavy! Water rises as vapor, cools into drops, and falls. The same water has been recycling for a very long
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hey there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does it rain?
The Big Idea
Have you ever watched a big gray cloud open up and pour? Clouds get too heavy! Water rises as vapor, cools into drops, and falls. Then the water joins rivers and oceans, and starts the trip all over again. Then the water joins rivers and oceans, and starts the trip all over again, and the trip never ends.
Water Evaporates
Step one: water evaporates. The sun heats water in oceans, lakes, and rivers, and some of it turns into invisible vapor. The vapor rises into the air, and you cannot see it.
Clouds Form
Step two: clouds form. High in the sky the air is cold, so the vapor turns back into tiny drops of water. Billions of tiny drops gather together, and we see them as a cloud. Some drops even fall as snow, hail, or sleet when the air is cold enough.
Drops Grow Heavy
Step three: drops grow heavy. Tiny drops bump into each other and join together, getting bigger and heavier. Soon they are too big to float in the air.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look at how rain happens! First, water evaporates. Second, clouds form. Third, drops grow heavy. And fourth, when the drops are too heavy for the cloud to hold, rain falls back to Earth.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! The same water has been recycling for a very long time. A raindrop today may hold water that dinosaurs once drank! Rain fills rivers and lakes, waters plants, and gives us fresh water. Snow, sleet, and hail are other ways water falls from the sky.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, watch a kettle steam. Stay back from the hot steam! Watch the steam turn into a little cloud in the air. Then think about where the water came from. Can you explain how this is like a cloud starting?
Outro
Rain is water on a big, round trip around our world! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!