Transcript Bellringer:

What are clouds?
Clouds
 Clouds are the collection of millions of water droplets
or ice crystals that have condensed and saturated tiny
particles in the air.
 Warm air rises (while holding water vapor) and then
cools.
 When the air cools the water vapor or gas condensates
into a liquid.
 Sometimes the water vapor freezes to become tiny ice
crystals.
 Clouds are named by form and altitude.
Cumulus
 These clouds are puffy
and white. They have a
flat bottom and can
sometimes look like piles
of cotton balls.
 Thunderstorms form
from a type of Cumulus
cloud called
Cumulonimbus. These
clouds are tall and
strong.
Stratus
 These clouds form in
layers. They are flat and
thin.
 They cover large areas of
the sky.
 They resemble blankets.
 Fog is a stratus cloud
that has formed near the
ground.
Cirrus
 Cirrus clouds are thin,
feathery white clouds
that form at high
altitudes. They are wispy.
 They form when the
wind is strong.
 They are at the highest
altitude.
 If they get thicker, a
change in the weather is
about to occur.
Why do they make rain?
 When those water
droplets and ice crystals
get too heavy, the cloud
“empties” the
precipitation out. It may
not always be liquid
water that falls…hints
snow and sleet.
Project
 Over the next 20 days, I
want you to log what types
of clouds you see. You will
include information such
as what cloud type exists (
at 2 separate times during
the day), the temperature
at the time you logged and
what weather event was
occuring: ex. Sunshine,
rain, fog.
 This will be a 200 point
project. I will give you a
rubric so that you will
know what is expected. NO
EXCUSES!!!
 This will be due to me
March 25, 2011.
 There will be an
opportunity for 15 points
extra credit for an analysis
and presentation of your
findings. Good luck.