Why Airplanes Leave White Trails in The Sky #9
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Most often we see airplanes leaving behind a white trail in the sky
The question is "what are these trails?" First of all, the white trails are not
smoke from the engine. These trails are actually called contrails short for
condensation trails. How then are these condensation trails formed. The exhaust
of airplanes contain a significant amount of water vapor. As the plane flies
the exhaust containing water vapor is continually emitted. At Heights of 26,000
feet or more the air is extremely cold. This condensed water vapor and mixture
of ice crystals make up the cloud like trails you see in the sky also called
the contrails these trails leave when the water droplets and ice crystals
evaporate
