“Raindrops are shaped like teardrops”

The common belief that raindrops are shaped like teardrops is a widespread misconception, often reinforced by cartoons, weather icons, and art. This idea likely stems from observing water dripping slowly from a faucet or a leaf, where gravity pulls the water into an elongated shape just before it detaches. However, once a drop is freely falling through the air, its shape is governed by different forces. Small raindrops, those less than about 1 millimeter in size, are actually nearly perfect spheres due to the powerful force of surface tension, which pulls water molecules together to achieve the smallest possible surface area.

As raindrops grow larger and fall faster, they encounter increasing air resistance. This upward push of air against the bottom of the falling drop distorts its spherical form. Instead of stretching into a teardrop, larger drops flatten out on the bottom and remain rounded on top, resembling the shape of a hamburger bun or even a kidney bean. This scientific understanding has been confirmed through various studies, including high-speed photography, wind tunnel experiments, and radar measurements of precipitation.

The persistence of the teardrop myth can be attributed to these familiar visual cues of dripping water and its pervasive depiction in media. People often associate the "pointy top, rounded bottom" shape with falling water. However, in reality, the dynamic interplay between water's surface tension and the resistive force of the air creates shapes that are quite different, ranging from tiny spheres to flattened, bun-like forms.