Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A drop of drizzle of radius falls through air of viscosity . Find its terminal speed, ignoring the air's buoyancy. How long would it take to fall at that speed? (.)
Viscosity: the force to slide a plate of area at speed over a film of thickness is . Stokes' law: a small sphere feels , so it falls at a terminal speed .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Speed. .
Step 2. Time. .
Answer: ; about two and a half hours.
Check. Tiny drops drift down so slowly that rising air keeps clouds afloat.
Watch out. Radius, not diameter, goes in the formula.
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