1. Clouds
BrainPop

2. What is a cloud?
It is a collection of millions of tiny water droplets or ice crystals.
As water vapor rises and cools, it becomes saturated (full).
It then condenses onto tiny dust or smoke particles as water droplet or ice. When there are millions of these, a cloud forms

3. Types of clouds
Cumulus – fluffy
Stratus – cover
Cirrus - feathery

4. Cloud questions Why are clouds white?
Clouds are white because they reflect the light of the sun.
Clouds reflect all the colors the exact same amount so they look white (visible light).
Why do clouds turn gray? If the clouds get thick enough or high enough all the light above does not make it through, hence the gray or dark look.

5. Cloud questions Why do clouds float?
As long as the cloud and the air that it’s made of is warmer than the outside air around it, it floats!

6. Cumulus clouds Puffy white clouds Flat bottoms
Usually fair weather clouds
Cumulus: Latin word for a heap or a pile

7. Stratus clouds Form in layers Cover large areas
Stratus: Latin word that means "to spread out."

8. Cirrus clouds Thin and feathery High altitudes
May indicate bad weather is coming.
Cirrus: Latin word for a tuft or curl of hair.

9. Classification of clouds
We classify clouds not only by type (cumulus, stratus, cirrus) but also by form and altitude.
Form (can be prefix or suffix)
Nimbus/Nimbo means that precipitation might fall from the cloud.
Altitude (these are all prefixes)
Strato – low clouds
Alto – middle clouds
Cirro – high clouds

10. Classifying clouds
You can add the prefix/suffix of form and altitude to the cloud type to classify the clouds more specifically.
Examples:
Cumulonimbus – thunderstorm producing cumulus cloud
Altostratus – a middle level stratus cloud

11. More Examples Cirrostratus – a high level stratus cloud
Stratocumulus – a low level cumulus cloud
Nimbostratus – light rain producing stratus cloud