What are clouds???

Question

I know it's a funny question, but what are thay? Just a whole bunch of are, water, white poofy things, what!?!?!? I WANT TO KNOW!!

Answer 1

clouds are tiny bits of water in the sky.

Answer 2

it is a visible mass of tiny condensed water doplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.

Answer 3

thier cotton balls.

Answer 4

there are many types of clouds for example, cotton balls, poofy matter with crystals, and a bunch of little white faries.

Answer 5

Vaporized water that is evaporated.

Answer 6

Millions of waterdrops (sometimes frozen).

Answer 7

A cloud is a visible mass of droplets or frozen crystals floating in the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth or another planetary body. A cloud is also a visible mass attracted by gravity (clouds can also occur as masses of material in interstellar space, where they are called interstellar clouds and nebulae.) The branch of meteorology in which clouds are studied is nephology.

On Earth the condensing substance is typically water vapor, which forms small droplets or ice crystals, typically 0.01 mm in diameter. When surrounded by billions of other droplets or crystals they become visible as clouds. Dense deep clouds exhibit a high reflectance (70% to 95%) throughout the visible range of wavelengths: they thus appear white, at least from the top. Cloud droplets tend to scatter light efficiently, so that the intensity of the solar radiation decreases with depth into the gases, hence the gray or even sometimes dark appearance of the clouds at their base. Thin clouds may appear to have acquired the color of their environment or background, and clouds illuminated by non-white light, such as during sunrise or sunset, may be colored accordingly. In the near-infrared range, clouds would appear darker because the water that constitutes the cloud droplets strongly absorbs solar radiation at those wavelengths.

Clouds are divided into two general categories: layered and convective. These are named stratus clouds (or stratiform, the Latin stratus means "layer") and cumulus clouds (or cumuliform; cumulus means "piled up"). These two cloud types are divided into four more groups that distinguish the cloud's altitude. Clouds are classified by the cloud base height, not the cloud top. This system was proposed by Luke Howard in 1802 in a presentation to the Askesian Society.

Answer 8

A cloud is a visible mass of droplets or frozen crystals floating in the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth or another planetary body. A cloud is also a visible mass attracted by gravity (clouds can also occur as masses of material in interstellar space, where they are called interstellar clouds and nebulae.) The branch of meteorology in which clouds are studied is nephology.

On Earth the condensing substance is typically water vapor, which forms small droplets or ice crystals, typically 0.01 mm in diameter. When surrounded by billions of other droplets or crystals they become visible as clouds. Dense deep clouds exhibit a high reflectance (70% to 95%) throughout the visible range of wavelengths: they thus appear white, at least from the top. Cloud droplets tend to scatter light efficiently, so that the intensity of the solar radiation decreases with depth into the gases, hence the gray or even sometimes dark appearance of the clouds at their base. Thin clouds may appear to have acquired the color of their environment or background, and clouds illuminated by non-white light, such as during sunrise or sunset, may be colored accordingly. In the near-infrared range, clouds would appear darker because the water that constitutes the cloud droplets strongly absorbs solar radiation at those wavelengths.

Clouds can cast shadows

Clouds can cast shadows

Clouds and cloud bow above Pacific

Clouds and cloud bow above Pacific

Clouds are divided into two general categories: layered and convective. These are named stratus clouds (or stratiform, the Latin stratus means "layer") and cumulus clouds (or cumuliform; cumulus means "piled up"). These two cloud types are divided into four more groups that distinguish the cloud's altitude. Clouds are classified by the cloud base height, not the cloud top. This system was proposed by Luke Howard in 1802 in a presentation to the Askesian Society.

Contents

[show]

    * 1 High clouds (Family A)

    * 2 Middle clouds (Family B)

    * 3 Low clouds (Family C)

    * 4 Vertical clouds (Family D)

    * 5 Other clouds

    * 6 Cloud fields

    * 7 Colors

    * 8 Global dimming

    * 9 Global brightening

    * 10 Clouds on other planets

    * 11 See also

    * 12 References

    * 13 External links

[edit] High clouds (Family A)

Cirrus Clouds over Golden Gate Bridge

Cirrus Clouds over Golden Gate Bridge

These generally form above 20,000 feet (6,000 m), in the cold region of the troposphere. In Polar regions, they may form as low as 16,500 ft (5,030 m); they are denoted by the prefix cirro- or cirrus. At this altitude, water frequently freezes so clouds are composed of ice crystals. The clouds tend to be wispy and are often transparent.

Clouds in Family A include:

    * Cirrus (Ci)

    * Cirrus uncinus

    * Cirrus Kelvin-Helmholtz Colombia

    * Cirrostratus (Cs)

    * Cirrocumulus (Cc)

    * Pileus

    * Contrail, a long thin cloud which develops as the result of the passage of an aircraft at high altitudes.

[edit] Middle clouds (Family B)

Altocumulus mackerel sky

Altocumulus mackerel sky

These develop between 6,500 and 20,000 feet (between 2,000 and 6,000 m) and are denoted by the prefix alto-. They are made of water droplets and are frequently supercooled.

Clouds in Family B include:

    * Altostratus (As)

    * Altostratus undulatus

    * Altocumulus (Ac)

    * Altocumulus undulatus

    * Altocumulus mackerel sky

    * Altocumulus castellanus

    * Altocumulus lenticularis

[edit] Low clouds (Family C)

These are found up to 6,500 feet (2,000 m) and include the stratus (dense and grey). When stratus clouds contact the ground, they are called fog.

Clouds in Family C include:

    * Stratus (St)

    * Nimbostratus (Ns)

    * Cumulus humilis (Cu)

    * Cumulus mediocris (Cu)

    * Stratocumulus (Sc)

A cumulus cloudscape over Swifts Creek, Victoria, Australia

A cumulus cloudscape over Swifts Creek, Victoria, Australia

[edit] Vertical clouds (Family D)

A typical anvil shaped Cumulonimbus incus

A typical anvil shaped Cumulonimbus incus

These clouds can have strong up-currents, rise far above their bases and form at many heights.

Clouds in Family D include:

    * Cumulonimbus (associated with heavy precipitation and thunderstorms) (Cb)

    * Cumulonimbus incus

    * Cumulonimbus calvus

    * Cumulonimbus with mammatus

    * Cumulus congestus

    * Pyrocumulus

Answer 9

ever see an airplane fly over way up there in the sky--probably 30,000 ft or more----see the white streaks behind the plane-----that is called vapor trails--it is moisture from the engine exhuast---cold air goes in the front of the engine---it hits the center of the engine and is heated up and turns to moisture--coming out the back as clouds or frozen particals of water---does this help----clouds are frozen moisture or water----whne clouds turn dark almost black---that's when they are the heaviest and ready to rain--or the icy crystal have or are melting to form rain---as they become heavy they get lower to the earth and melt as they get warmer

Answer 10

umm angel farts maybe lol idk good question

Answer 11

wool? big fluffy sheep? Where do people get these ideas anyway they are water thats turned white and fluffly

Real answer: try the dictionary or yahoo.

Answer 12

I just learned what clouds are made out of. Some of them are made out of ice cristals. I cant remember some of the other "ingrediants" sorry.

Answer 13

there little white animals in the sky they grant wishes

Answer 14

Clouds are made of water vapor that has condensed together.

Answer 15

Water vapor.