Collecting raindrops. I spent most of my childhood in the South of Italy where sunny days are the norm. I used to dislike rain and only made peace with it after years of living in Germany. This project is a personal tribute to and celebration of this water-based phenomena.

This tiny jar contains raindrops fallen above the Donaulände (Linz) on the afternoon of Sunday, April 24th, 2022.


A tiny glass jar sealed with cork and containing rainwater. A young brunette woman placing a glass dropper inside a tiny transparent glass jar filled with rainwater. A tiny drop of rain water on a light-colored cotton fabric Screenshot of an article by LiveScience showing the shape of rain drops.

References:

// Definition of a rain drop: "A drop of water of diameter greater than 0.5 mm falling through the atmosphere; a typical raindrop might have a diameter of 1 - 2 mm - Glossary of Meteorology. (American Meteorological Society), accessed May 3rd, 2022.

// The Riddle of Experience vs. Memory | Daniel Kahneman (2010) - TED Talk, accessed May 3rd, 2022.



update 17.06.2022

I came back revisiting this project. The images below are microscopic views of the raindrops collected in April. The patterns should be deposits of dust particles. I was unable to spot microorganisms inside (I kept the raindrops in the fridge). Somewhere inside of every raindrop is a tiny impurty. In my understanding, these particles are relevant to the raindrop's existence because water vapor can't condense into droplets on its own. The entire process is described in the book by Prupacher and Klett: Microphysics of Clouds and Precipitation.

Microscopic view of a raindrop sample. The image background is pale white. On the left side, there is an irregular-shaped particle surrounded by purple-colored contour. Microscopic view of a raindrop sample. The image background is pale white. On the right side, there is an irregular-shaped pattern with shades of fluo green. Microscopic view of a raindrop sample. The image background is pale white. On the upper and lower sides, there are irregular-shapes and patterns with a purple contour and glimpses of fluo green.

update 29.06.2022

The images below are litmus paper tests (a quick method of determining whether a liquid solution is acidic or basic/alkaline). Their pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. The readings are based around a pH of 7, which is neutral (like pure water). This scale might seem small, but each level is 10 times bigger than the next; a pH of 9 is 10 times more alkaline than a pH of 8. A pH of 2 is 10 times more acidic than a pH of 3, and 100 times more acidic than a reading of 4. I tested a sample of tap water (blueish stripe on the left) and a raindrop (yellowish, light-green stripe on the right).


A universal litmus paper stripe folder with showing the different levels of ph scale in different colors. Below a blue and light green litmus paper tests. The blue litmus paper on the left reports a white paper tag handwritten in black ink saying tap water. The light green limtus paper on the right reports a tag saying raindrop. On the left side, a petri dish with two litmus paper tests, a plastic doser, one glass of tap water, one jar of raindrops.

The rainwater's ph reached 7 (neutral solution have a pH of 7); tap water reached a value between 8 and 10 (it is more alkalinic than the rainwater sample). Life on earth depends on appropriate pH levels in and around living organisms and cells. The human body, our bag of bones, muscles, sinews, organs, and the countless other doo-dads that make up this system works constantly to control pH levels of blood and other fluids.