Lapse Rates

The rate of temperature change with altitude is called the...

• environmental lapse rate

• dry adiabatic lapse rate

• saturated adiabatic lapse rate

What happens to temperature with increasing altitude through the troposphere?

• It increases

• It decreases

• It remains constant

What happens to atmospheric pressure as altitude increases?

• It increases

• It decreases

• It remains constant

What happens to parcels of air as they rise through the troposphere?

• Increase in volume and decrease in temperature

• Increase in volume and increase in temperature

• Decrease in volume and increase in temperature

• Decrease in volume and decrease in temperature

What is the dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR)?

• Rate at which a parcel of dry air (less than 100% humidity) warms as it rises

• Rate at which a parcel of dry air (less than 100% humidity) cools as it rises

What is the value of the DALR?

• 10C increase for every 1000m above sea level

• 10C decrease for every 1000m above sea level

• 7C increase for every 1000m above sea level

• 7C decrease for every 1000m above sea level

Why does a parcel of air switch from DALR to SALR?

• The volume of the parcel of air has become too big and therefore slows down

• Because the pressure in the atmosphere has been rising

• When it reaches dew point (condensation level), because during condensation latent heat is released

• When it reaches dew point (condensation level), because during evaporation latent heat is released

What does instability mean?

• When a parcel of air is colder than the atmospheric temperature so therefore it wants to fall.

• When a parcel of air is warmer than the atmospheric temperature so therefore it wants to rise.

• When a parcel of air is colder than the atmospheric temperature so therefore it wants to rise.

• When a parcel of air is warmer than the atmospheric temperature so therefore it wants to fall.

What does stability mean?

• When a parcel of air is colder than the environmental temperature so therefore it wants to fall

• When a parcel of air rises

• When a parcel of air is colder than the environmental temperature so therefore it wants to rise.

• When DALR changes to SALR

How can stable air still be forced to rise?

• If a colder air mass underneath is forcing it upwards.

• Because it is forced up by the terrain (e.g. mountain range)

• It wants to rise