Q. What clouds are the lowest?
A. Those that are most highly electrified: lightning clouds are rarely more than about 700 yards above the ground; and very often actually touch the earth with one of their edges.
Q. What is the thickness of the clouds?
A. Some clouds are 20 square miles in surface, and above a mile in thickness; while others are only a few yards or inches.
Q. How can persons ascertain the thickness of a cloud?
A. As the tops of high mountains are generally above the clouds; therefore, travellers (who climb the mountains) may pass quite through the clouds, into a clear blue firmament, when they may see the clouds beneath their feet.
Q. Why are the clouds so variable in shape?
A. The shape of clouds depends upon two things:—Their state of electricity, and the wind.
Q. How can electricity affect the shape of clouds?