Why do clouds look fluffy? The science behind sky’s soft shapes

Why do clouds look fluffy? The science behind sky’s soft shapes (Image: Canva)

Clouds in the sky may seem like a gentle cotton in the air but they are actually made of millions of tiny water droplets or ice crystals. Despite their delicate appearance, clouds can weigh hundreds of tons. They keep on floating by rising warm air.

The presence of clouds is due to small water droplets or ice crystals which have been suspended in the atmosphere. Clouds appear as light and fluffy, but they contain hundreds of tones. They are supported up by air currents ascending. Their forms and textures are always varying based on the temperature, humidity and wind direction.

Fluffy look of clouds is attributed to the scattering sunlight in the water droplets. The droplets bounced back the light in every direction causing bright white patches. Thick clouds may be darker, and this is what gives the clouds the puffy appearance of cotton wool or huge pillows in the sky.

Clouds are formed when the heated air lifts off and moves upwards taking with it water vapour. The vapour cools creating small droplets or crystals of ice. Different heights and conditions create different cloud types, from fluffy cumulus clouds to wispy cirrus clouds high in the sky.

Although clouds seem fluffy and pale, they are comprised of millions of tiny ice crystals or water droplets, which make them heavier than they appear. Their fluffy nature of appearance is due to the sunlight scattering and the densities that shape up to offer imagination and teach us about weather, atmosphere and science of our skies.