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How Big Can Raindrops Get? — Reading Comprehension

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This NGSS-aligned science reading passage explains how raindrops form in clouds and how big they can grow before breaking apart. Students will learn about condensation, air resistance, and the role of updrafts in building large raindrops. The passage covers typical raindrop sizes, rare giant drops found in tropical storms, and how this knowledge helps meteorologists predict weather and flooding. It supports NGSS standard MS-ESS2-4 and strengthens middle school science comprehension through real-world connections to the water cycle.

CONTENT PREVIEW

Raindrops may seem small, but they’re an important part of Earth’s water cycle. Most of the time, raindrops are about the size of a pencil tip—but under the right conditions, they can grow much bigger! So, how big can a raindrop get before it breaks apart?

Raindrops form when water vapor condenses around tiny particles like dust in clouds. These drops grow larger as they bump into and merge with other drops. The longer they stay in the cloud, the bigger they can become.

The size of a raindrop depends on several factors, including humidity, air pressure, and wind. Strong updrafts—currents of air that push upward—can hold raindrops in the clouds longer, giving them more time to grow.

Most raindrops are between 0.5 and 3 millimeters across. When they reach about 4 to 5 millimeters, they start to become unstable. Air resistance causes them to flatten at the bottom, like a hamburger bun. If they get too large, usually around 6 millimeters, they break apart into smaller drops as they fall.

In some storms, scientists have measured "monster drops" as large as 8 millimeters wide—about the size of a small marble! These are rare and usually happen in tropical storms with very moist air and strong updrafts.

Understanding raindrop size helps meteorologists predict rainfall intensity, flooding risk, and how fast rain can wash into rivers and streets.

Fun Fact: The largest raindrops ever recorded were found over Brazil and the Marshall Islands—and they were nearly 1 centimeter wide!

How do raindrops form?

By freezing in the skyWhen water vapor condenses around dust particlesWhen the sun shines on the oceanFrom melted snowflakes

What helps raindrops grow larger in clouds?

Dust falling from spaceStrong updrafts keeping them in clouds longerCold wind blowing from the groundGravity pulling them down

What happens when raindrops get too large?

They disappearThey freeze into hailThey break apart into smaller dropsThey turn into snow

What shape do large raindrops take before breaking apart?

Perfect spheresTeardropsFlat pancakesFlattened at the bottom like hamburger buns

How big are most raindrops?

5 and 3 millimetersLarger than a golf ballAlways the same sizeOnly a few micrometers

What is a rare size for giant raindrops in tropical storms?

2 mm4 mm6 mm8 mm

What is the main idea of this passage?

Raindrops come in only one sizeRaindrops grow and break apart depending on conditionsAll rain comes from tropical stormsRaindrops are the same as snowflakes

Why do meteorologists care about raindrop size?

To know how to clean windowsTo predict rainfall intensity and floodingTo see which drops bounceTo count how many drops fall per minute