Shape of Raindrops

Shape of Raindrops

You've seen on weather forecast in your television, in magazines, and even science books will show raindrops as tear shaped. The idea has persisted in popular culture, because often we see water drops from leafs, faucet, and also water rolling down our windows that does look like tear shape. This created a joint level of understanding among people that we think that even raindrops are tear shaped. It's time to teach our children new perspective of raindrops!

Scientist armed with high speed camera revealed that raindrops start out as round high in the atmosphere as water collects on dust and smoke particles in clouds. But as raindrops fall, they lose their rounded shape. Instead, a raindrop rather look like a bean or the top half of a hamburger bun. Flattened on the bottom and with a curved dome top, raindrops are anything but the classic tear shape. The reason is due to their speed falling through the atmosphere.

A raindrop falling through the atmosphere forms as a roughly spherical structure due to the surface tension of water. This surface tension is the "skin" of a body of water that makes the molecules stick together. The cause is the weak hydrogen bonds that occur between water molecules. On smaller raindrops, the surface tension is stronger than in larger drops. The reason is the flow of air around the drop.

Air flow on the bottom of the water drop is greater than the airflow at the top. At the top, small air circulation disturbances create less air pressure. Therefore, the surface tension at the top of the raindrop wins this round! In other words, the surface tension at the top allows the raindrop to remain more spherical while the bottom gets more flattened out.

Even as a raindrop is falling, it will often collide with other raindrops and increase in size. Once the size of a raindrop gets too large, it will eventually break apart in the atmosphere back into smaller drops. This time, the surface tension loses and the large raindrop ceases to exist. Instead it pulls apart when it grows to around 4 millimeters or more.

Source : http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/raindropshape.html"> USGS Site

Tasting the Raindrops

Looking in your eyes
I feel myself falling in love with you
You said I love you
And I said it too

We went to our very own special spot
For no real reason at all
We sat and talked and looked at one another
And then the rain began to fall

We could have left just as quick as we came
But no, you wanted to stay in the rain
You asked me a question I'll never forget
Have you ever tasted the raindrops?

I looked at you funny and you gave me a sigh
The cutest look, as I wondered, why?
Why, did you ask me to taste the rain?
Well, what did have to loose or gain?

I watched you with a careful eye
And did the same as you
You were looking up at the cloudy sky
But my eyes were stuck on you like glue

I lifted my head to look at the sky
And closed my eyes really tight
Just as I thought I'd caught a raindrop
You suddenly held me tight

I opened my eyes with slight alarm
As you kissed me soft and sweet
I remember that kiss like it was yesterday
I still feel those raindrops on my cheek

I tasted the raindrops like I never had before
It was worth every second of bliss
Every time I think of that moment
I think of my raindrop kiss

We sat close together on that one special rock
And we held each other tight
Then almost as suddenly as it came
The sun came out from beneath the rain

The most beautiful colors I've ever seen
Came out on the western sky
The sun was setting and the moment was perfect
More than any money could buy

As the sun slowly set and the sky lit up
You began carving our names in our special rock
I told you I would never forget this moment
In my heart this memory is locked

As our names were finished and permanently engraved
We watched the sun finish its day
We slowly got up to leave this place
Which was a year ago this May

I haven't been to that spot in a year
Where did all the time go?
I will visit this place alone this time
And I will finally have to let go

This memory will be in my heart forever
But you will not remain in my mind
I don't know if that love, will be seen again
For that love I cannot find

I will go to this spot as we promised we would
But you will not be there this time
Why is it that you can't keep your promise?
I know that I'm keeping mine

Never again will I taste the raindrops
The way I did with you
And when I go to this spot again
I will say goodbye to you.

Raindrops Home

Welcome to Raindrops! Here I am sharing about me, who likes rains, who likes nature, who likes everything which is creation of God, who likes to see things colorful all over the world, who likes to walk on clouds, who likes to roam in forest, who likes to to see the sun rise and sun set every day, who likes colors of the sky.... After all.......... I am the "Raindrops......"