Learn how the Sun warms moist air near the ground and causes it to rise and condense on dust particles
Dust and other aerosols suspended in the atmosphere provide the surfaces upon which water vapour can condense. These condensation surfaces facilitate the development of clouds.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: The Sun's energy warms the ground. That warms the moist air just above the ground. Gradually the warm air rises. As it does, it expands. And the more it expands, the cooler it gets. Soon tiny drops of water condense, and clouds are born.
But, there's one question left unanswered.
We've learned that water needs a surface on which to condense.
What does water condense on--in thin air? Is there some kind of invisible surface here?
To find out, we have spun an air sample in this centrifuge. Rotating 24,000 times each second, it threw everything in the air sample against the inside of this cone. The cone itself was lined with a piece of specially treated foil.
Here's the foil, seen under an electron microscope. Magnified 30,000 times, we see countless tiny particles of dust stuck to the foil. Dust is found everywhere on Earth. That's what provides the surfaces on which water can condense to make clouds. Scientists believe that there's a tiny particle of dust at the center of every drop of water, in every cloud on Earth.
But, there's one question left unanswered.
We've learned that water needs a surface on which to condense.
What does water condense on--in thin air? Is there some kind of invisible surface here?
To find out, we have spun an air sample in this centrifuge. Rotating 24,000 times each second, it threw everything in the air sample against the inside of this cone. The cone itself was lined with a piece of specially treated foil.
Here's the foil, seen under an electron microscope. Magnified 30,000 times, we see countless tiny particles of dust stuck to the foil. Dust is found everywhere on Earth. That's what provides the surfaces on which water can condense to make clouds. Scientists believe that there's a tiny particle of dust at the center of every drop of water, in every cloud on Earth.