Clouds don't exactly "absorb" water in the way a sponge does; instead, they form from water vapor in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous form of water, travels into the sky.
The Formation of Clouds
The process involves condensation and, to a lesser extent, deposition:
- Evaporation: Water from sources like oceans, lakes, and rivers turns into water vapor and rises into the air. The reference text Water Vapor Evaporates Into the Air confirms this: "Water vapor gets into air mainly by evaporation – some of the liquid water from the ocean, lakes, and rivers turns into water vapor and travels in the air."
- Rising and Cooling: As warm, moist air rises, it cools.
- Condensation: The cooling air reaches its dew point, and the water vapor condenses around tiny particles in the air called condensation nuclei (dust, pollen, salt, etc.). This condensation process turns the water vapor back into liquid water droplets or, if it's cold enough, into ice crystals.
- Cloud Formation: Millions of these tiny water droplets or ice crystals clump together, forming what we see as a cloud.
Analogy
Think of it like this: a hot shower creates water vapor. When that water vapor hits the cooler mirror in your bathroom, it condenses on the surface, forming droplets of water that eventually coalesce into larger drops. Clouds form in a similar way, but on a much grander scale in the atmosphere.
Misconceptions
It's a common misconception that clouds are like sponges soaking up water. In reality, clouds are constantly forming and dissipating as water vapor condenses and evaporates (or sublimates if ice).
