Coast Guard Exams
Question 1208Navigation General70% to pass

Cirrus clouds are composed primarily of _______________.

AI Explanation
The correct answer is B) ice crystals. Cirrus clouds are composed primarily of ice crystals, not water droplets, nitrogen, or snow crystals. Cirrus clouds form at high altitudes, typically above 20,000 feet, where the temperature is low enough for water vapor to condense directly into ice crystals rather than liquid water droplets. The ice crystals in cirrus clouds give them a distinctive wispy, feathery appearance. The other answer choices are incorrect because water droplets (A) would form lower-altitude clouds, nitrogen (C) is a gas that does not condense into clouds, and snow crystals (D) form at lower temperatures and altitudes than those where cirrus clouds are found.

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