Here’s a simple, kid-friendly science explanation of why clouds look black before rain, perfect for kids 8–10+ ☁️🌧️

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☁️ Why do clouds look black before rain?

Clouds look dark or black before rain because they become thick and full of water.

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🌞 Clouds and sunlight (easy idea)

• Sunlight is bright and white
• Thin clouds let sunlight pass through
• Thick clouds block the sunlight

👉 When less sunlight reaches the ground, the cloud looks dark

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💧 What happens inside the cloud?

Before rain:

• Clouds fill with millions of water drops
• The drops join together and grow bigger
• The cloud becomes heavy and thick

Thick clouds:

• Absorb light
• Scatter light

So very little light passes through.

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🌧️ Why rain is coming soon

Dark clouds usually mean:

• Water drops are big and heavy
• The cloud cannot hold them anymore
• Rain will fall soon

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🧠 Easy example for kids

Imagine:

• A thin curtain → light passes → looks bright
• A thick blanket → blocks light → looks dark

👉 Rain clouds are like a thick blanket in the sky

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🌩️ What kind of cloud turns dark?

The cloud that often looks dark before rain is called:

Cumulonimbus

These clouds are:

• Tall
• Thick
• Full of water
• Bring rain and storms

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🌟 Fun facts

• Clouds are white on top but dark at the bottom
• The darker the cloud, the more water it holds
• Not all dark clouds rain, but many do!

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🎯 Easy to remember

More water + thicker cloud = less sunlight = dark cloud

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