Researchers have calculated that an average cumulus cloud is about 500,000 kg. As we know, clouds are made up of water particles and air which both have mass. To determine the weight of a cumulus cloud, researchers need to determine the size and density of the cloud. They have found that the water density of a cumulus cloud is about 0.5g/m3 and its average volume is 1 km3. A 1 cubic kilometer (1 km3) cloud contains 1 billion cubic meters and by doing the calculation of multiplying the volume and density, researchers have found that a cumulus cloud weighs 500,000 kg which is almost equivalent to five adult blue whales! The largest animal on our planet. But how can this heavy cloud stay afloat? This is because the air in the atmosphere is less dense than below and the weight is not concentrated in one area. Clouds are made of tiny water droplets and ice crystals that spread across the huge space within the cloud, that gravity has no effect on them. In addition, due to condensation, clouds are buoyant and able to float in the sky.
