The Shape of Raindrops
This video is a part of Animated Atmosphere, a suite of short videos produced by the UCAR Center for Science Education with FableVision Studios.
Did you know that raindrops are not shaped like teardrops? They actually look like tiny hamburgers falling through the sky. Watch this video to learn why!
Transcript
Almost everywhere you see images of raindrops — in books, cartoons, on weather maps — they're teardrop shaped, right?
In reality, a raindrop starts out round.
As it falls, it becomes flattened on the bottom with a curved top like a hamburger bun. Yum.
But why?
As it falls through the atmosphere, the bottom of the raindrop encounters more air pressure, pushing against the bottom and flattening it.
If it collides with other raindrops, it grows larger, causing it to fall faster.
The drop is distorted into a parachute shape before breaking apart into smaller, rounder drops.
Analyzing the shape of raindrops can help meteorologists predict rainfall amounts and give scientists insight into global rainfall patterns.