Rain is water that falls from clouds in the sky.

It is a vital part of the Earth's water cycle.

Rain helps nourish plants, animals, and people.

Rain begins when the sun heats up water found in oceans, lakes, rivers, and even puddles.

This heat causes some of the water to turn into invisible gas, a process called evaporation.

The water vapor then rises into the air.

As the water vapor rises, it cools down because the air becomes colder at higher altitudes.

When the gas cools, it turns back into tiny water drops.

This change is known as condensation.

Many of these tiny drops stick together to form clouds.

When enough drops gather, the cloud becomes heavy.

Eventually, the weight of the water droplets causes them to fall back to the ground.

This falling water is called precipitation, which we commonly know as rain.

Rain is essential for life on Earth.

It waters plants, fills rivers and lakes, and supports all living creatures.

It completes a continuous cycle as water moves up into the sky and back down again.

Did you know?

The average rain cloud can weigh over a million pounds! Also, some places in the world receive very little rain each year, while others can have heavy rain almost every day.

For more fun topics, visit Kidlopedia.com.