103,025
edits
Changes
From Nordan Symposia
Jump to navigationJump to searchCreated page with 'File:lighterstill.jpgright|frame ==Origin== [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle En...'
[[File:lighterstill.jpg]][[File:Clouds-4.jpg|right|frame]]
==Origin==
[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English], rock or rock hill (clod), from Old English ''clūd''
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_century 14th Century]
==Definitions==
*1: a visible mass of [[particles]] of condensed [[vapor]] (as [[water]] or ice) suspended in the [[atmosphere]] of a [[planet]] (as the [[earth]]) or [[moon]]
*2: something resembling or suggesting a cloud: as a : a light filmy, puffy, or billowy mass seeming to float in the [[air]] <a cloud of blond hair> <a ship under a cloud of sail>
:b (1) : a usually visible mass of minute [[particles]] suspended in the air or a gas (2) : an aggregation of usually obscuring [[matter]] especially in interstellar [[space]] (3) : an aggregate of charged particles (as [[electrons]])
:c : a great crowd or multitude : swarm <clouds of mosquitoes>
*3: something that has a [[dark]], lowering, or threatening aspect <clouds of [[war]]> <a cloud of [[suspicion]]>
*4: something that obscures or blemishes <a cloud of [[ambiguity]]>
*5: a dark or [[opaque]] vein or spot (as in marble or a precious stone)
==Description==
A '''cloud''' is a visible mass of liquid droplets or frozen [[crystals]] made of [[water]] and/or various [[chemicals]] suspended in the [[atmosphere]] above the surface of a planetary body. They are also known as aerosols. Clouds in [[Earth]]'s [[atmosphere]] are studied in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_physics cloud physics] branch of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorology meteorology]. Two [[processes]], possibly acting [[together]], can lead to [[air]] becoming [[saturated]]: cooling the air or adding water vapor to the air. In general, [[precipitation]] will fall to the [[surface]]; an exception is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virga virga], which [[evaporates]] before reaching the surface.
Clouds can show convective development like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumulus cumulus], appear in layered sheets such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratus_cloud stratus], or take the form of thin fibrous wisps, as in the case of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirrus_cloud cirrus]. Prefixes are used in connection with clouds: ''strato'' for low cumuliform-category clouds that show some stratiform characteristics, ''nimbo'' for thick stratiform clouds that can produce moderate to heavy [[precipitation]], ''alto'' for middle clouds, and ''cirro'' for high clouds. Whether or not a cloud is low, middle, or high level depends on how far above the ground its base forms.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cloud_types Cloud types] with significant vertical extent can form in the low or middle ranges depending on the [[moisture]] content of the air. Clouds in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troposphere troposphere] have [[Latin]] [[names]] due to the popular [[adaptation]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Howard Luke Howard]'s cloud categorization system, which began to spread in popularity during December 1802. Synoptic surface weather observations use code numbers for the types of tropospheric cloud visible at each scheduled [[observation]] time based on the height and physical appearance of the clouds.
While a [[majority]] of clouds form in [[Earth]]'s troposphere, there are occasions where clouds in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratosphere stratosphere] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesosphere mesosphere] are observed. Clouds have been observed on [[other planets]] and [[moons]] within the [[Solar System]], but, due to their different temperature characteristics, they are composed of other substances such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane methane], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia ammonia], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfuric_acid sulfuric acid].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud]
[[Category: Physics]]
==Origin==
[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English], rock or rock hill (clod), from Old English ''clūd''
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_century 14th Century]
==Definitions==
*1: a visible mass of [[particles]] of condensed [[vapor]] (as [[water]] or ice) suspended in the [[atmosphere]] of a [[planet]] (as the [[earth]]) or [[moon]]
*2: something resembling or suggesting a cloud: as a : a light filmy, puffy, or billowy mass seeming to float in the [[air]] <a cloud of blond hair> <a ship under a cloud of sail>
:b (1) : a usually visible mass of minute [[particles]] suspended in the air or a gas (2) : an aggregation of usually obscuring [[matter]] especially in interstellar [[space]] (3) : an aggregate of charged particles (as [[electrons]])
:c : a great crowd or multitude : swarm <clouds of mosquitoes>
*3: something that has a [[dark]], lowering, or threatening aspect <clouds of [[war]]> <a cloud of [[suspicion]]>
*4: something that obscures or blemishes <a cloud of [[ambiguity]]>
*5: a dark or [[opaque]] vein or spot (as in marble or a precious stone)
==Description==
A '''cloud''' is a visible mass of liquid droplets or frozen [[crystals]] made of [[water]] and/or various [[chemicals]] suspended in the [[atmosphere]] above the surface of a planetary body. They are also known as aerosols. Clouds in [[Earth]]'s [[atmosphere]] are studied in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_physics cloud physics] branch of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorology meteorology]. Two [[processes]], possibly acting [[together]], can lead to [[air]] becoming [[saturated]]: cooling the air or adding water vapor to the air. In general, [[precipitation]] will fall to the [[surface]]; an exception is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virga virga], which [[evaporates]] before reaching the surface.
Clouds can show convective development like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumulus cumulus], appear in layered sheets such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratus_cloud stratus], or take the form of thin fibrous wisps, as in the case of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirrus_cloud cirrus]. Prefixes are used in connection with clouds: ''strato'' for low cumuliform-category clouds that show some stratiform characteristics, ''nimbo'' for thick stratiform clouds that can produce moderate to heavy [[precipitation]], ''alto'' for middle clouds, and ''cirro'' for high clouds. Whether or not a cloud is low, middle, or high level depends on how far above the ground its base forms.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cloud_types Cloud types] with significant vertical extent can form in the low or middle ranges depending on the [[moisture]] content of the air. Clouds in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troposphere troposphere] have [[Latin]] [[names]] due to the popular [[adaptation]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Howard Luke Howard]'s cloud categorization system, which began to spread in popularity during December 1802. Synoptic surface weather observations use code numbers for the types of tropospheric cloud visible at each scheduled [[observation]] time based on the height and physical appearance of the clouds.
While a [[majority]] of clouds form in [[Earth]]'s troposphere, there are occasions where clouds in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratosphere stratosphere] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesosphere mesosphere] are observed. Clouds have been observed on [[other planets]] and [[moons]] within the [[Solar System]], but, due to their different temperature characteristics, they are composed of other substances such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane methane], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia ammonia], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfuric_acid sulfuric acid].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud]
[[Category: Physics]]
