Mass, radius, and mean mass surface density of spherical clouds with fixed bounding pressure p(z_sph) and temperature as a function of the pressure ratio p_c/p(z_sph). The values of a Bonnor-Ebert sphere are compared with the corresponding values of spherical clouds with smooth density profiles as given in Eq. (1) with n = 2 and n = 3 (dashed-dotted and dashed line, respectively). The dotted vertical and horizontal lines mark the values at maximum radius (open circle) and at critical stability (filled circle) of Bonnor-Ebert spheres. The mass, radius, and mean mass surface density of a Bonnor-Ebert sphere in the limit of infinite overpressure are shown as gray horizontal lines.