what is latent heat? What is it's role in cloud formation?

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Latent heat is the heat energy absorbed & held in storage in a liquid or solid & is subsequently released by the process of condensation.
  When water is converted into steam, heat is required in the process. Once steam is formed this steam stores potential energy in the form of latent heat which amounts to 260 joules of energy per gram of water vapour laden air. As this mass of moisture laden air rises due to connection current atmospheric gasses mixes with the water vapour. Addition of solids increases the boiling point of water & addition of gasses decreases the boiling point. In the lower part of troposphere the concentration of dust particles & other suspended foreign bodies are high & it decreases with height. Atmosphere pressure also decreases with height. Decrease in atmospheric pressure followed with decrease in dust particles 7 other suspended foreign bodies are high & it decreases with height. Atmospheric pressure also decreases with height. Decrease in atmospheric pressure followed with decrease in dust particles(solid) concentration not only result in reduction of the boiling point but also the freezing point decreases & now the water doesn’t freeze until temperature drops to -48(degrees)C called super cooled water.
                                  Clouds as we know, are visible mass o tiny particles of water & ice held in suspension by vertical motion of air, formed by condensation around nuclei, such as the  dust & smoke particles, pollen etc. When water vapour condenses on a nuclei it not only heats up the nuclei by transfer of 2260 Joules of energy but also it's density increases which was previously low since no nuclei was there for condensation.This was because the latent heat stored as potential energy in rising water vapour has broken the inter-molecular force of attraction by it's energy supply to water vapour particles. Density of an ideal gas at a particular temperature & pressure is proportional to it's molecular mass. The latent heat decreased the density of water vapour/supercoold water & the molecular mass of water vapour stood at 18,which is lower than the molecular mass of oxygen(32),Nitrogen(28),carbon-di-oxide(44) & ozone(48).Thus, the super cooled water & water vapor stays suspended in air as clouds.

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