Cloud chambers were one of the first methods used to study radioactive decay and cosmic particles. Such chambers are filled with a cool, supersaturated cloud of alcohol vapor. When high-energy Keep reading
Tag: condensation
The Drinking Bird
At first glance, the drinking bird is a simple desk toy, but the physics and engineering behind the device is clever enough to have challenged many great minds. In this Keep reading
“Breathe”
In black and white, the towering power of a thunderstorm looks almost apocalyptic. Photographer Mike Olbinski’s latest storm timelapse, “Breathe,” features roiling turbulence, distant downpours, and eerie mammatus clouds. Supercell thunderstorms Keep reading
Jumping Droplets
Condensation, which removes heat by changing a vapor into a liquid, is a common feature in industrial heat transfer. When droplets form on surfaces, they typically have to grow to Keep reading
“Monsoon IV”
It’s a cliché to claim that the sky is bigger in the American West, but the wide, open views in that region do offer a very different perspective on weather. Keep reading
Emulsions By Condensation
Oil and water are hard to mix, as any salad dressing aficionado will attest. Technically, the two fluids are immiscible – they won’t mix with one another – but one Keep reading
Lenticular Clouds
Lenticular clouds are peculiar enough that, for years, they’ve been mistaken for other things – often UFOs. These lens-shaped clouds tend to form near mountainous terrain, where air gets forced Keep reading
The Mist of Champagne
If you’ve ever popped open a chilled bottle of champagne, you’ve probably witnessed the gray-white cloud of mist that forms as the cork flies. Opening the bottle releases a spurt Keep reading
Creating Clouds
Despite their ubiquity and importance, we know surprisingly little about how clouds form. The broad strokes of the process are known, but the details remain somewhat fuzzy. One challenge is Keep reading
“Pursuit”
Photographer Mike Olbinski has released yet another breathtaking timelapse film of weather over the Great Plains. This one has a little bit of everything: storms, tornadoes, incredible cloud formations, and Keep reading