Because of the tendency of water particles to stick to each other (called cohesion), as this water exits the plant, it draws up the water behind it. Plants draw water through their roots, stems, and leaves by regularly letting water vapor and other gases out of the pores (tiny holes) in their leaves. Likewise, the drier the air, the faster the water can evaporate.Īnother important source of water vapor is plants. On average, as the temperature increases, the number of particles with enough energy to escape into the air increases. The warmer the water is, the more thermal energy the particles have. Remember that water is made up of tiny particles and that those particles are in motion.Īs long as the air above isn’t completely saturated with water vapor (meaning it has less than 100 percent humidity), some fraction of the particles in the liquid water have enough energy to “escape,” and they can rise into the air above the surface and evaporate. So how does that water get up into the sky? Consider the water on the surface of Earth-that means the oceans, lakes, and streams but also the soil and even the drops and puddles that collect on leaves, buildings, and rocks. It’s only when that water vapor cools and condenses into liquid water droplets or solid ice crystals that visible clouds form.Ī cloud on a sunny, fair-weather day. The air around us is partially made up of invisible water vapor.
The water that makes up clouds is in liquid or ice form. If they were, you wouldn’t be able to see them. While it’s true that clouds contain water, they actually aren’t made of water vapor.
Have you ever heard someone say, “Clouds are just water vapor”? Next time, you’ll be able to correct them.
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