Several of my students have asked me about these words, and if more than one person has questions about a set of words, I know it’s a bigger problem than just them. What are the difference between these words about water? Do we use mist or fog or steam? All of them are related to some water in the air, but what makes them different?
Mist is many drops of water that were sprayed physically
The world is made of solids, liquids, and gases, and we can think that mist is a gas. Mist actually is not a gas. It can look like gas, but it is just a physical explosion of water. Usually, you will see mist at the grocery store above the fruits and vegetables.
It’s really hot today, so I want to sit near the mist that the restaurant is spraying.
= I want the cold water drops on my skin.
I can feel the mist coming from the waterfall on my skin.
= The explosion of water from the waterfall is reaching me.
Fog is a kind of weather when a cloud is very close to the ground
Fog is weather, so you will hear it predicted on the weather forecast. Usually, the fog will happen during the early hours of the morning. It makes it hard to see. Fog is not caused by an explosion of water like the previous word.
This time of year is scary because of all the fog in the morning.
= The weather pattern is scary here.
It can be dangerous to drive through fog.
= It is hard to see when you drive in this weather.
Steam is what comes from boiling water
Steam is always hot. It always results from boiling.
After my shower, I cannot see myself in the mirror from all the steam.
= The hot water from the shower makes the mirror foggy.
NOTICE: foggy is an unrelated adjective meaning when water condenses on a surface. It is unrelated to fog, the weather.
He was so angry that I saw steam coming out his ears.
= The anger was boiling his blood, and I could see the boiled blood coming out of him.
Summary:
- mist: the result of an explosion of water, a special water hose, or a waterfall
- fog: a kind of weather where a cloud is close to the ground
- steam: what comes out of boiling water
This watery words can help you discuss weather patterns and people’s anger. Use them well. Whether it is mist or fog or steam, you will now know the difference.
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