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Introduction to clouds

We can see clouds every day, and there are lots of kinds of clouds.

In this article you can learn:

  • What a cloud is
  • The process of condensation
  • Different types of clouds and the weather they bring
  • How to measure cloud cover

This resource is suitable for weather topics for primary school learners.

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Video - What is a cloud?

Watch this video to find out how a cloud is formed and about the different types of cloud.

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How is a cloud formed?

  1. From a distance, clouds might look like cotton wool but they are actually made from water.

  2. Clouds form when the air cools down. This changes into drops of liquid water, or even tiny ice crystals in a process called condensation.

  3. The water droplets are big enough to catch the light and allow us to see them, but so small and light that they hang in the sky and don't fall to the ground.

  4. The water droplets all gather together and make clouds.

Clouds are part of the water cycle.

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Different kinds of clouds

Click through this slideshow to learn about the types of clouds you might see in the sky and what kind of weather they bring.

  • cirrus
  • cumulus
  • stratus
  • cumulonimbus
  • nimbostratus
Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 6, Several fluffy clouds float against a blue sky , Clouds come in all shapes and sizes - let's have a look at some of the most common kinds of clouds. Did you know that there are lots of different kinds of clouds?
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How to measure cloud cover

Video - Measuring cloud cover

Clouds play an important role in what the weather will be like.

With help from 成人快手 Weather's Kawser Quamer, learn:

  • Why it is important to measure cloud cover
  • How we measure cloud cover with a lux meter
  • What lux means
  • What the okta scale is

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Key words

Key words about clouds

  • cirrus - Thin, wispy clouds that look like feathers and which float around 6000m up in the sky.
  • cumulus - Puffy clouds that look like cotton wool or candy floss. They usually float between 300 and 2000 meters in the sky.
  • stratus - Clouds which often flat and don鈥檛 move. On overcast days they stretch across the whole sky like a blanket.
  • nimbus - We add the word 鈥榥imbus鈥 to the names of clouds to describe them when there is rain or snow falling from them. For example, a cumulonimbus is a dark puffy thundercloud with rain falling out of it.
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Test your knowledge

Quiz

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Challenge

Challenge

Measure cloud cover in the sky today.

There are a number of ways you could do this:

  • Using a meter app on a smartphone or tablet.
  • Using and the .
  • Creating a grid using a mirror tile.

Watch the video above to get more help with measuring cloud cover.

Remember

  • Don't look at the sky for longer than a few seconds.
  • Never look directly at the sun.
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