Water evaporates from bodies of water and rises into the sky, where it cools and condenses to form droplets that collect into clouds. When clouds pass through cooler air, the water droplets grow heavier and fall to the ground as rain. This cycle of evaporation and precipitation is known as the water cycle. Sometimes, falling raindrops freeze into hail or clouds are cold enough that water vapor condenses directly into snowflakes before reaching the ground.

1. Clouds and Rains

2. Water Vapour
Clouds and
Rains
Water in lakes, rivers and oceans evaporates as the Sun shines down on the Earth.
The air, along with the water vapour, gets warm and rises up.

3. Cloud
Clouds and
Rains
As it goes higher up in the sky, it cools down. The water vapour condenses to
form tiny drops of water.

4. Cloud
Clouds and
Rains
Millions and millions of these droplets together form a cloud.

5. Rain
Clouds and
Rains
When the clouds pass through cooler air, they get further cooled. The water
drops become bigger and heavier. When they become very heavy, they fall
to the ground as rain.

6. Rain
Clouds and
Rains
When the clouds pass through cooler air, they get further cooled. The water
drops become bigger and heavier. When they become very heavy, they fall
to the ground as rain.

7. Water Cycle
Clouds and
Rains
Most of the water that falls on land goes back into the lakes, rivers and oceans. It again
evaporates and comes down as rain. This goes on repeating. This repeated change of
water to water vapour, and then back to water, is called the water cycle.

8. Hail
Clouds and
Rains
Sometimes, on their way down, raindrops pass through very cold air and freeze to
form small balls of ice. These fall to the ground as hailstones.

9. Snow
Clouds and
Rains
If the clouds themselves are very cold, the water vapour condenses to form ice instead
of water. The ice so formed is in the form of soft, beautiful snowflakes. They have
different shapes.

10. Snowflakes
Clouds and
Rains
If the clouds themselves are very cold, the water vapour condenses to form ice instead
of water. The ice so formed is in the form of soft, beautiful snowflakes. They have
different shapes.

11. Dew
Clouds and
Rains
On cold nights, the air near the ground cools down. The water vapour in the air
condenses to form drops of water on leaves, grass or window panes.
This is called dew.

12. Frost
Clouds and
Rains
On very cold nights, the dew freezes to form ice. This is called frost. Frost is
observed on very cold mornings in the winter season.

13. Fog
Clouds and
Rains
On cold winter mornings, water vapour sometimes condenses on dust particles just
above the ground. This forms clouds just above the ground. This is known as fog.
Sometimes the fog is so thick that it is difficult to see beyond a few metres.

14. Fog
Clouds and
Rains
Drivers of vehicles have to be very careful during fog. Pilots have difficulty taking off
and landing off planes. Sometimes, airports have to be closed down because of fog.

15. This presentation is a result of my experiences while I was
helping out my son with his school assignments and project
work. I am happy to share this with other students and their
parents. Hope you find this informative and useful. Thank you.
- Prashant Mahajan -
All pictures belong to their original authors, photographers.