Condensation

Have you ever seen magic happen right before your eyes? Sometimes, after a warm bath, I draw foggy pictures on the bathroom mirror. You can use your finger to trace a happy face or a swirly line right through my misty art. In the early morning, I love to decorate the world outside. I leave tiny, sparkling jewels on every blade of grass and create delicate necklaces of water beads on spiderwebs. They glitter in the sunshine like a fairy’s treasure. On a hot summer day, when you pour a super cold glass of lemonade, I make the outside of the glass look like it’s sweating. Little drops of water trickle down the side, making your hands wet. Have you ever seen me work my wonders? Have you ever stopped and thought, "Who does that?" I am a quiet magician, always there but often unnoticed.

Are you ready to learn my biggest secret? It’s not really magic, it’s science, but it’s just as amazing. You see, I am actually made of tiny, invisible bits of water that float all around you in the air. This is called water vapor. When the air is warm, my water bits zip and zoom around, happy and full of energy. But when that warm air touches something cool, like a cold window at night or a chilly blade of grass, my water bits get a shiver. "Brrr, it's cold!" they might say. To get warm, they do what you might do with your friends on a chilly day—they huddle together in a big group hug. The moment they start huddling, they stop being invisible. They turn into tiny, see-through drops of water that you can actually see. That foggy breath you see on a cold day? That’s me. And do you know what clouds are? They are just giant, fluffy groups of my water droplets huddling together way, way up high in the cool sky. It's my biggest and best trick. Are you ready for my name? I am Condensation!

Now that you know my name is Condensation, I want to tell you why I am so important. All those giant, fluffy clouds I make in the sky aren't just for looking pretty. When my water droplets huddle together more and more, they get bigger and heavier. Soon, they are too heavy to float anymore and they fall back to Earth as rain. That rain is my gift to the world. It gives thirsty plants a big drink so they can grow tall and strong. It fills up our rivers and lakes so fish have a place to swim and we have water to drink. I am a super important helper in the great big water cycle, which is the journey water takes around our planet. So next time you see a foggy window, dewy grass, or a big cloud, give me a little wave. Remember that I am always working my science magic to keep our world healthy and green.