Final answer:
Fog and clouds are made of liquid water droplets in the air, with fog forming close to the ground and clouds forming higher up in the atmosphere due to condensing water vapor. Dew is the condensation of water vapor into droplets on surfaces when the air cools to the dew point.
Step-by-step explanation:
Differences between Fog, Dew, and Cloud Formation
The difference between fog, dew, and cloud formation lies in their respective processes of condensation and where they occur. Fog and clouds comprise liquid water droplets dispersed in air. Fog forms when the water vapor near the ground cools and condenses, similar to cloud formation but at a lower altitude. Dew forms when the air temperature drops to or below the dew point near ground level, leading to water vapor condensing on surfaces like leaves or cars, often observed as drops of water. Droplets of dew cling to surfaces when the rate at which water molecules join together exceeds the rate at which they separate. Clouds, on the other hand, form higher up in the atmosphere when rising air currents cool and water vapor condenses into tiny droplets or ice crystals, potentially leading to precipitation if they grow large enough.
It's important to understand that clouds can also consist of ice particles in colder conditions, unlike the typically liquid composition of fog. While dew forms on surfaces, fog and clouds are suspended in the air.