How much does the cloud weigh? Such a question arises from time to time when looking at the bottomless heavenly heights, in which slowly, slowly, like fairy-tale characters, clouds float. For a long time being an object of admiration, these accumulations of water are associated with softness, serenity, peace. What is this heavenly structure? How is it formed? How much does the cloud weigh?
People began to be interested in this issue since the end of the 18th century. The most curious of them in search of an answer to the question "What is the weight of the cloud?" in balloons rushed up and examined the heavenly formations closer. The first theoretical knowledge about the nature of clouds was obtained after climbing mountain peaks.
What is a cloud?
Particles of water vapor and vapor rising up from the surface of rivers, seas, oceans and other bodies of water are called a cloud.
Rushing higher and higher towards the cold layers of the atmosphere, they undergo a condensation process: they cool and turn into balls, crystals or droplets (depending on the ambient temperature). So, for the formation of drops, a temperature index of -11 ...- 16 ° C is sufficient; air vapor crystallizes at lower temperatures.
How much does the cloud weigh?
As a rule, the formation of clouds occurs in the troposphere, the distance to which from the earth's surface is 6-7 kilometers. Above all, crystalline clouds are located - at an altitude of 70-75 km.
How much does the cloud weigh? The photo originally conveys the apparent lightness and airiness of this huge white formation, to determine the mass of which it is enough to know:
- the height at which the condensation process occurs;
- the amount of rising air involved in the above process.
The lower the cloud to the ground, the greater the weight characterized. Drops of water are not able to stay in the low lying atmosphere for a long period and fall to the ground in the form of rain.
How much does the cloud weigh? Estimated mass of one cumulus cloud of 1 cubic meter. km, clearly visible in the sky in good weather, is about 500 tons.
A thundercloud is 25 times heavier than a cirrus, resembling white shreds or the finest threads interconnected. The cirrus cloud consists of crystals of various sizes, which, when a gust of wind is easily separated from the main mass. They are found at an altitude of 5-9 km.
Cirrocumulus clouds are considered the most massive . They live at an altitude of 10-12 km, occupy a small horizontal space; vertically they can rise upwards sometimes by 15-16 km. It is for this type of cloud that a storm is projected.
Why don't the clouds fall?
It is surprising that such huge masses calmly swim in the heavenly space and do not fall on our heads. Why? Because they are formed by ascending air currents, characterized by a higher high pressure than that of water droplets. Therefore, they do not settle, but calmly swim into the unknown distance and fall to the earth with rain, as soon as the air rising upwards cools down. But previously available in the cloud water should freeze. At low temperatures, the sky showers the Earth with snow or hail; at warm temperature - by rain mass. As they fall down, drops of frozen water melt.
So how much does the cloud weigh on average? The estimated mass of one celestial unit, which every inhabitant of the planet can admire, is about 10 tons.
How much does the cloud weigh in elephants?
In ancient times, and even today, the mass of clouds was measured in elephants. For example, the weight of one cirrus cloud is about 100 elephants, and a thundercloud, whose distance from the base to the top is about 10 km, is 200 thousand elephants.
If it were possible to extract water from a cubic meter of a hurricane cloud and weigh it, it would turn out that one hurricane weighs 40 million elephants. This is 26 times the actual number of these animals that live on Earth. This incredible amount of weight is divided between tiny droplets of water and ice crystals, the largest of which is 0.2 mm in cross section.
Interestingly, the formation of clouds occurs with the obligatory participation of dust, to the particles of which droplets stick, which subsequently form a cloud. Water vapor alone cannot form such a floating mass.
How many clouds live?
Clouds have a certain life expectancy, directly dependent on atmospheric humidity. At its low rate, celestial formations will begin to evaporate, sometimes having existed in the vast blue expanses of only a quarter of an hour. With high humidity, the likelihood of precipitation increases, which significantly extends the life of the cloud.
By the way, clouds exist not only on Earth. Similar droplet masses were detected on Venus, Mars, the satellite of Saturn - Titan, and the satellite of Neptune - Triton. On these planets, the nature of the clouds is completely different and is explained by environmental conditions. So, on Venus, the basis of such formations is sulfuric acid.