Myriads of water droplets lifted up with the help of heated air, clouds are, roughly speaking, condensed steam. This is because the atmosphere below is warmer than above. This causes the vapor to cool and condense. But this process requires the presence of tiny dust particles, to which water molecules adhere. Therefore, clouds are also a bit of dust called condensation grains.
I wonder what:
- air can contain quite a lot of water vapor, as they say, be supersaturated, but due to the absence of dust, condensation into droplets does not occur, and clouds do not form;
- clouds illuminated by the rays of the sun only seem white, in fact they come in a wide variety of colors and shades;
- cloud may appear dark grey, almost black, due to soot particles (most common in industrial areas).
Atmospheric fronts
Often cloudsintensively formed in areas where cold and warm air collide. These bands are called atmospheric fronts. A cold front occurs when warm air is pushed up rapidly. As a rule, cold weather follows. If warm air glides smoothly over cold masses, a warm front is formed, and - as a result - warm weather. Clouds are generated in both fronts (this is caused by air cooling). Any of the weather fronts could bring a change in the weather.
Water cycle
In nature, there is an endless cycle of water masses. The sun heats the surface of the earth or water, the liquid passes into a gaseous state (evaporates), rising up. The air saturated with moisture at the top cools down, since the temperature there is lower, it cools, the steam condenses, forming clouds. Water from the clouds falls to the ground as precipitation. To the question: “Are clouds living or inanimate nature?” - you can answer: "Inanimate." Since they are composed of dust and water, which are not living organisms.
What kind of clouds are there?
According to their classification, clouds are divided into several varieties that differ from each other both in morphology and in appearance.
Cirrus
They consist of elements in the form of thin white feathers, elongated ridges, tufts. They have a silky sheen and a fibrous structure. They are formed in the upper troposphere, at a height, as a rule, of 6-8 kilometers, sometimes higher. The length is up to several kilometers. Cirrus clouds areice crystals (by their structure) with a low falling speed. Characteristic of the leading edge of a warm front. Sometimes they are cirrostratus and cirrocumulus.
Cirrocumulus
The well-known "lambs". They, as a rule, have a spherical shape, elongated in a line. Height - 6-8 kilometers. The length is 1 kilometer. They are harbingers of rising temperatures. At sea - the harbingers of a storm. They don't rain.
Piratostratus
They have the shape of a shroud, uniform and whitish. They are relatively transparent (the sun or moon can be seen through them). These are upper clouds.
Layered
Form a uniform, fog-like layer. As a rule, they are located at a height of one hundred meters, sometimes lower. Usually they cover the whole sky. The lower edge can sink low, merging with the above-ground fog. Rain falls from these clouds.
Cumulus
Dense, white, with a vertical arrangement. The height along the lower border is up to a kilometer or more. Thickness is one to two kilometers. The upper part is made in the form of towers or domes. As a rule, they form in neutral and cold air masses.
Cumulonimbus
Powerful and dense, vertical shape. Cumulonimbus clouds are the next stage in the development of cumulus clouds. From them, showers are usually born with powerful thunderstorms, sometimes hail. They often form a line called a squall line. Their structure is mixed. Below - droplets of water, above, where the temperature is below zero, ice crystals form. Lower limit - up to two kilometers(lower troposphere).
Intermediate stages
There are transitional options described by cloud science: Altocumulus, Altostratus, Stratocumulus, Stratocumulus. They carry signs of different types of clouds.
Silver
Of those discovered relatively recently - silver (discovered only in the 19th century). They are formed at high altitude: up to 80 kilometers. Well observed after sunset and before sunrise.
Mother of Pearl
Clouds of a characteristic color, formed at high (20-30 kilometers) altitudes. Composed of small ice crystals.
Tubular
Their structure resembles a cellular, tubular shape. Found exclusively in tropical latitudes, quite rare, and associated with the formation of tropical cyclones.
Lenticular
Clouds in the form of lenses. Formed on ridges, between layers of cold and warm air. They barely move, even in strong winds. Usually they can be seen near the mountain ranges on the leeward side (altitude from 2 to 15 kilometers).
Pyrocumulative
Cumulus or cumulonimbus, associated with the occurrence of volcanic activity or - a fire. The fire here creates an upward flow of air, which leads to condensation into clouds. Lightning strikes and thunderstorms are also possible. And then new fires appear under the clouds.
