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Clouds develop from water vapour that cools within rising air. Collecting on dust particles and other cloud seeds, water coalesces into droplets and ice crystals that scatter sunlight so clouds appear white. The temperature, wind and moisture determine the size, shape and type of clouds. There are three main types: cumulus, stratus and cirrus.
Cumulus, meaning “heap”, are puffy clouds like cotton balls. They form in an unstable humid atmosphere where water condenses in bubbles of warm air. They float across the sky, a picturesque backdrop to a beautiful sunny day. Cumulus clouds can be as low as 1,000 feet (305 m) or as high as 15,000 feet (4,570 m). When the sky fills with cumulus clouds, it’s a sign the weather is changing. As they grow, they can become rain clouds.
Cloud names are combined to describe specific types. Altocumulus are mid-level clouds covering the sky. Cirrocumulus are high white patches with cloudlets hinting of rain. Cumulonimbus, or thunderheads, are threatening dark clouds that form on stormy days. These towering giants can be 10 miles (16 km) tall and cause severe rain, snow, hail and lightning.
Cumulus Cloud Key Chain
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"The Earth is a dynamic planet shaped by powerful geologic forces. Earthquakes are triggered by the sudden movement of tectonic plates, enormous rock slabs that float miles underground. These plates bump against each other, creating tremendous pressure. Eventually one breaks free leading to seismic shock waves that travel up and shake the ground. Aftershocks are the rearrangement of the plates as they settle into a new configuration.
Most earthquakes occur under the sea. Few on land cause damage. Yet the energy from big quakes can destroy cities and cause tsunamis. Seismographic stations detect earthquakes and the Richter scale is used to measure their strength. Each number means a quake ten times more powerful than the previous number. With their acute senses, dogs, birds and other animals seem skilled at detecting earthquakes before the shaking even starts.
In the 1960s, a 9.2 quake hit Alaska and a 9.5 in Chile was the most powerful ever recorded. California’s famous San Andreas Fault is where two tectonic plates meet and devastating quakes have occurred. These places are on the Ring of Fire around the Pacific Ocean where there are many earthquakes"
