Why Are There Clouds?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hey there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why are there clouds?

The Big Idea

Have you ever looked up and found a cloud shaped like an animal? Clouds are tiny water drops in a crowd! Invisible vapor cools and clumps onto specks in the air. There are so many drops that together, they make something big enough to see. Clouds float because the drops are so tiny and light.

Vapor Rises

Step one: vapor rises. Warm water turns into invisible vapor, and rises into the air. Water from oceans, lakes, and even puddles can do this. Cloud makers need three things: water, cold, and tiny specks to cling to.

Air Cools

Step two: the air cools. The higher you go, the colder the air gets. Cold air cannot hold as much vapor as warm air. When enough drops gather, the cloud grows bigger and thicker.

Drops Gather

Step three: drops gather. Cool vapor clumps onto tiny specks of dust and salt floating in the air. Each speck gets a coat of water, and becomes a droplet.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at how a cloud forms! First, vapor rises. Second, the air cools. Third, drops gather. And fourth, billions of tiny drops make a cloud you can see!

Quick Facts

Quick facts! A cloud is not cotton. It is water and ice in the air. A big cloud can weigh as much as many elephants, but it floats because the drops are so tiny. Clouds have names, like puffy cumulus and wispy cirrus. Fog is really a cloud that touches the ground.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Pick one cloud and watch it for five minutes. Does it change shape, size, or place? Draw what you see at the start and at the end. Can you explain why clouds keep changing?

Outro

Clouds are the sky's tiny water drops, gathered in a crowd! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!