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Professor Less had answers for all my questions. "Along with water vapor, there are little dust particles in the air," the Prof. explained. "When the air becomes cold enough, the water vapor starts changing back into water, collecting on the dust in the air. Scientists call this process condensation. It's where water vapor turns back into water." |
| The Prof. paused for a drink of milk, then continued.
"It's those little water particles that come together to form clouds. Scientists
have a name for the dust particles used in condensation: condensation
nuclei."
"Scientists have a big name for everything," I said. "So, temperature is pretty important to this cloud thing?" "Very," Professor Less said. "If the air temperature is warm, then more water can stay in the air. If the air temperature is colder, then less water can be part of the air. When air cools, the water vapor in the air condenses." "So you're saying that cooling creates condensation which creates clouds," I said. "Something like that. You sure ask a lot of questions," Professor Less said. I looked him in the eye and said, "I'm an investigator. It's what I do." The Prof. glared at me through his glasses and said, "I'm a professor. Experiments are what I do." |
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