How does the wet adiabatic cooling rate compare to the dry adiabatic cooling rate?
A)It's higher (more degrees of temperature change per unit of change in altitude).
B)It's the same.
C)It's lower (fewer degrees of temperature change per unit of change in altitude).
D)It happens when air is compressed into a smaller volume.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The wet adiabatic cooling rate is lower than the dry adiabatic cooling rate because as air rises, it cools but the cooling is mitigated in the presence of moisture because condensation releases latent heat energy, thus slowing down the cooling rate. This results in a lower rate of temperature change per unit of change in altitude compared to the dry adiabatic cooling rate.

How Does the Wet Adiabatic Cooling Rate Compare to the Dry