Eli5: If water is transparent, why are clouds white?
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Clouds are white because they are made up of tiny droplets of water or ice crystals that scatter light in all directions. This is known as the Tyndall effect, and it causes the clouds to appear white to our eyes.
Tyndall effect is a phenomenon that occurs when light passes through a mixture of substances, such as water and air. The light is scattered by the tiny particles within the mixture, causing the light to appear different.
In the case of clouds, the Tyndall effect causes the light to be scattered by the tiny droplets of water or ice crystals that make up the clouds. This scattering causes the clouds to appear white to our eyes. The same effect can be observed when a beam of light passes through a glass of water, the beam of light appears to be scattered and the water looks cloudy.
It’s also important to note that the Tyndall effect is not limited to clouds, but can be observed in other natural phenomena such as the blue color of the sky and the brown color of the smog.
Additionally, the sun is reflecting off the clouds, making them appear white.
It’s also important to note that clouds can also appear gray, depending on their density and the amount of light they are reflecting.
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