How do clouds form, starting from the absorption of heat by the earth to rainfall?

The process that covers cloud formation starting from the earth absorbing heat and culminating in rainfall is known as the water or hydrologic cycle. The water cycle refers to the continuous motion of water below the earth’s surface, on the earth’s surface and in its surrounding atmosphere. Water moves from below the earth and on its surface into the atmosphere; it then goes back to earth in the form of rainfall. For this to occur, water goes through a variety of processes which change its state. Water changes state into liquid, vapor, and ice as it goes through different processes. The processes include evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff.

Clouds form after water from the earth is exposed to heat and evaporates into the atmosphere. The rising water vapor then begins to condense at high altitudes because of the drop in temperature (the higher you go, the cooler it becomes). When a large body of the vapor condenses and concentrates in the atmosphere, it forms visible clouds. When the clouds become dense enough, the water droplets collide and fall as precipitation (rain, snow and hail among others).