Why raindrops come in many sizes

Why raindrops come in many sizes

Monday, 20 July 2009 18:07 UK
By Victoria Gill - Science reporter, BBC News


A drop deforms as it falls through the air, and eventually inflates and bursts. Footage courtesy of Emmanuel Villermaux, Aix-Marseille University

We might never consider the size of the raindrops as we hurry for cover, but their variety has puzzled scientists for many years.

Now, by filming one falling raindrop, researchers in France have explained why the drops are an array of so many different sizes.

Reporting in the journal Nature Physics, the team described how the drop deformed and burst as it fell. ...READ MORE ...