What has to happen inside a cloud for it to start raining?
AThe cloud has to turn a dark color
BThe tiny water droplets inside the cloud have to grow big and heavy enough to fall
CLightning has to break the cloud open
DThe wind has to push the cloud down to the ground
Rain starts when tiny water droplets inside a cloud bump into each other and join together, getting bigger and bigger. When a droplet gets heavy enough that the air cannot hold it up anymore, it falls as rain. The cloud does not break open -- droplets just grow until they are too heavy to float.
Question 2 True / False
Most cloud you see in the sky is about to rain.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
Most clouds do not produce rain. The water droplets in many clouds are too small and light to fall. Only when droplets grow large and heavy enough will rain fall. That is why you can see clouds on many days without any rain.
Question 3 Short Answer
Why is rain important for the Earth?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: Rain gives water to plants so they can grow, fills up rivers and lakes, provides fresh water that animals and people need to drink, and soaks into the ground to keep soil moist. Without rain, the land would dry out and most living things could not survive.
Rain is the main way that fresh water gets from the sky to the land. Understanding that rain is essential for life helps connect weather to the broader idea of why water matters on Earth.