Question

The water droplets and ice crystals that make up clouds are always falling relative to the air, yet the clouds themselves may not be falling relative to the Earth's surface. This happens because clouds are most likely to be located where ______ prevail.

A. Upward air currents
B. Downward air currents
C. Stable atmospheric conditions
D. Unrelated atmospheric conditions

Answer 1

Clouds may stay suspended and not fall to Earth's surface due to the presence of upward air currents that keep the cloud particles aloft despite their tendency to fall.

Step-by-step explanation:

The clouds themselves may not be falling relative to the Earth's surface because they are most likely to be located where upward air currents prevail. These rising air currents carry water vapor into the atmosphere, whereupon cooling, it condenses and forms clouds composed of water droplets and ice crystals.

Despite the droplets and ice crystals constantly falling relative to the air, the upward movement of the air itself keeps the cloud suspended, or even rising, in the atmosphere. These air currents battle against gravity, often preventing the droplets from reaching a size that would make them fall to Earth as precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.