If a parcel of unsaturated air with a temperature of 30 C rises from the surface to an altitude of 1,000 m,the unsaturated parcel temperature at this altitude would be about
A) 10 C warmer than at the surface.
B) 10 C colder than at the surface.
C) 6 C colder than at the surface.
D) impossible to tell from the data given

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

As a parcel of air rises and expands, it undergoes adiabatic cooling, which causes its temperature to decrease. The rate of adiabatic cooling depends on the moisture content of the air. Unsaturated air cools at a rate of approximately 1°C per 100 m of altitude. Therefore, at an altitude of 1000 m, the temperature of the parcel would be approximately 10°C cooler than at the surface.

If a Parcel of Unsaturated Air with a Temperature of 30