Why Raindrops Come in Many Sizes

[Elphaba]

BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Why raindrops come in many sizes

This was fascinating. Apparently rain drops are never the same size, and this article uses a video to demonstrate why this is so.

From the article:

The large, round drop fell, gradually flattened out and, as it got wider, eventually "captured" the air in front of it to form the shape of an upturned bag.

This bag finally "inflated" and burst apart into many smaller droplets - all within six hundredths of a second.

This happened because drops were too large and heavy to remain intact.

Each large, heavy drop accelerates as it falls and "has to displace the air molecules" on its way down, explained Dr Villermaux. "This produces the air resistance or drag."

At a certain speed, the number of air molecules - and therefore the intensity of this drag - is greater than the surface tension holding the round drop together, so the drop starts to deform.

"When it bursts, the fragments match exactly what we find in raindrops," said Dr Villermaux. "This is a precise, quantitative explanation for their distribution and size."

Elphaba

[James_Fryman]

wow you like to learn dont you

[Elphaba]

wow you like to learn dont you

Sorry for the cliche', but I have no life.

Elphaba

[James_Fryman]

I have no life but I dont look up this stuff. I spend my time on Facebook :)