Cloud physics describes the area of study of physical processes that lead to the formation, growth and precipitation of clouds. The willingness to question previously held truths and search for new answers resulted in a period of major scientific advancements, now known as the Scientific Revolution. ... This article is about the military unit. ... In biology growth is increase in size. ... Cumulus of fair weather A cloud is a visible mass of condensation droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth or another planetary body. ...

Clouds are composed of microscopic drops of water (in so-called warm clouds), or tiny crystals of ice, or both (mixed phase clouds), which condense from water vapour in the air. This can happen only when the conditions are suitable. Once a cloud is formed, it can dissipate or unload the water it contains as precipitation (rain, snow, hail, etc.). What actually happens is determined by a number of factors. Cloud physics attempts to study the physical processes that lie behind this. Water (from the Old English word wæter; c. ... Crystal (disambiguation) Insulin crystals A crystal is a solid in which the constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are packed in a regularly ordered, repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. ... ICE can refer to: InterCity Express, a German high-speed train Internal combustion engine, a fuel engine In-circuit emulator, a computer hardware device In case of emergency, emergency number in mobile phones Institution of Civil Engineers, British civil engineer guild Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, U.S. government agency Iron... Boundaries: Phase, Pressure, Temperature Evaporation/Sublimation Whenever a water molecule leaves a surface, it is said to have evaporated. ... Air is a name for the mixture of gases present in the Earths atmosphere. ... Rain falling For other uses see Rain (disambiguation). ... A fresh snowfall in Colorados (USA) high forests. ... A large hailstone Hail is a type of graupel (a form of precipitation) composed of spears or irregular lumps of ice. ...

Cloud physics is the branch of study that deals with the formation, evolution and dissipation of clouds and the formation of precipitation.

Clouds are classified according to the height at which they are found and their shape or appearance. The most commonly seen clouds are either stratiform (thin large layer) or cumuliform (with vertical development). Accordingly, we have stratus and cumulus clouds which are seen at low altitudes (around 2 km). Clouds of similar shape in the top most region of the troposphere have the prefix cirro added to their names. Thus we have cirrostratus and cirrocumulus. The clouds found at intermediate heights have the prefix alto added to their names. The cloud type known as cirrus is found only in the top most region of the troposphere. These are wispy clouds that appear like light brush strokes in the blue sky. In addition, we have the cumulonimbus, which is a cloud that virtually spans the entire troposphere from a few hundred metres above the ground up to the tropopause. The cumulonimbus is the cloud responsible for thunderstorms. The troposphere is the lowermost portion of Earths atmosphere and the one in which most weather phenomena occur. ... The tropopause is a boundary region in the atmosphere between the troposphere and the stratosphere. ...

See also

• Atmospheric sciences