Science Tools_Lower Level_P01

Jet planes are large. On the ground, you can see how big they are. When they are in the air, they can be hard to see.

Jet planes can fly very high. They often fly over five miles above the ground. It is almost impossible to see them this high up. We know they are there because they leave clues.

You may have seen white lines in the sky. Those white lines are clouds that are formed from planes. That is right! A jet plane’s engines cause water vapor to become liquid, creating clouds. These clouds made by planes are called condensation trails or contrails. Without contrails, jet planes may fly unseen.

Our eyes are just not good enough to see a plane this far away. The long contrail is easy to see, while the plane is just a tiny speck in the sky. Good thing we have science tools. Some science tools can help us see far away objects.