Altocumulus generally appear as puffy air masses. Cumulus clouds have the appearance of resembling a cauliflower, with strong updrafts and possibly precipitation. Precipitation that falls from clouds is made up of larger water drops, ice crystals that have melted, or still frozen crystals. Fog is a cloud on the ground. The most common kinds of fog form when humid air is cooled to its dew point, causing water vapor to begin condensing into tiny drops.
Clouds are very important in terms of identifying weather patterns.
A particular cloud has a certain shape and location because of the amount of water vapor and condensation nuclei in that air. Students will be able to draw the current cloud formations. Then students will use a satellite image to identify the height of the clouds, type of clouds, and the precipitation. Students will be grouped cooperatively. Each group will receive a bowl of hot water and students will place pieces of dry ice into the water.