Are Fog And Clouds Made Up Of The Same Material?

Welcome back my fellow learners, today we are going to find out the differences between fog and clouds.

Both fog and clouds are created when water vapour condenses or to form minute droplets or crystals within the air. So why I hear you ask, are they so different? Well read on, and you will find the answer to your question.

Fog can only be created at low altitudes.

Clouds on the other hand can be created at any altitude. They can be seen as high as 12 miles rising above the sea level, or even as low as the ground. Fog is a type of cloud which creeps along the ground. Fog is formed when air close to the ground gets cool enough to turn to water vapour.

There are various different kinds of fog, also. Ice fog is created when air close to the ground gets cold enough to turn water in fog into ice. Ice fog is formed at extremely cold temperatures. And is a common sight in the likes of Canada and Alaska.

Another type of fog is the freezing kind. Ice crystals are formed within the air when it gets cold enough, and particles such as smoke or dust within the air provide a type of seed for the crystals to be formed around. Sometimes it can get cold enough, however, the air has no particles in it. With this case, water within the air get supercooled. This supercooled water is in liquid form, however, it is colder than freezing point. When it comes into direct contact with other cold surfaces like sidewalks or roads, it immediately forms a hazardous icy top layer.

One of the worse types of fog is known as super fog. This is created when smoke being emitted from wildfires and water vapour clash to form a very dense fog. The smoke offers particles for water vapour to condense around. This combination is extremely dangerous. A super fog is so thick that a person cannot even see their own hand when placed in front of their face. Super fog create extreme driving conditions, so it is advisable to stay off the roads when this occurs.