Why do clouds seem to float in the sky? Science responds!

Almost like an illusion effect, the clouds appear to float in the sky, similar to large “cotton structures” that carry water and electric fields. Fortunately, science exists to explain various natural phenomena, whether mathematical, biological, physical, chemical or atmospheric, as is the case with clouds. But why do clouds float?

Although they appear to actually be floating, this effect is just an illusion of our brain. The truth is that clouds are made up of countless water droplets and ice crystals, around a core that condenses the water; From this effect, the sensation is created that clouds are floating in the sky.

In other words, water droplets are lighter than air itself and have a relatively low density compared to the density of air, which is why clouds give the appearance of floating. However, when clouds are laden with water, they begin to weigh more than air, thus releasing part of this water in the form of rain, snow or hail.

Science shows that hot air is more “buoyant” than cold air, which is why clouds form in moist air. Although the clouds appear light, some storm-laden clouds can weigh as much as 100 elephants.source: Getty Images

“It’s kind of an illusion. It’s not like there’s a pillow or something magically floating in the air. It’s falling very, very slowly,” Alex Lamers, a meteorologist with the US National Weather Service, said in a message sent to the website. Live sciences.

Why do clouds float in the sky?

The movement of clouds results from atmospheric winds and atmospheric instability, and they move to one side or another depending on the weather conditions in the region. In fact, as these droplet formations move across the sky, they can reach different stages, such as cirrus (high-level clouds), cumulonimbus (mid- to low-level clouds), stratostratus (low-level clouds), and cumulonimbus (evolutionary vertical clouds). , and others. .

Lammers explains that even before the rain begins, small air droplets fall very slowly onto the Earth’s surface. This is part of the “illusion”, as well to Rising air currents keep them suspended in the air, even as they gradually fall: causing the effect of floating clouds.

“They appear to float because, essentially, they are falling at a rate slower than or equal to the speed of the updraft in the cloud. In fact, they are forming and evaporating at a rate that makes them appear fairly constant,” said Mark, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Rutgers University. “If you took all the water out of that cloud, it probably wouldn’t even fill a whole gallon,” Miller said.

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