The earth has a very thin atmosphere, which consists mostly of nitrogen and oxygen gases. These gases are what makes up the air we breathe, and they also act as a blanket around our planet. This blanket keeps heat from escaping into space, making our planet warm enough for life to live on it.

The air in the atmosphere is constantly moving around, rising up in some places and sinking down in others. When clouds form, they trap water droplets inside them as they move through the sky; this is why clouds stay in one place for so long.

When rain falls from a cloud, it does not fall straight down: it moves downward slowly at an angle because of the way wind blows across its surface. The wind causes the water droplets to bounce off each other and spread out over a wide area before reaching the ground below.

Last modified: August 7, 2022