eli5: How do (presumably very heavy) clouds stay suspended in the sky? More specifically how are they floating AND flat on the bottom?

Question

And what causes them to suddenly drop all of that water in the form of rain.

Judging by the amount of rain they must weigh a ton.

In: 337

Answer 1

I DONT KNOW BUT HERE’S MY BEST GUESS:

Imagine a person floating in the ocean.
It’s the same idea just with clouds floating in the sky.
Clouds are gases, and the air beneath is heavier, allowing them to stay in the air.

The water vapor from the air (basically cool steam) gets trapped in the clouds. When it gets too heavy, it rains.