Why does the tempature during the day, reach a high and then not move higher?

Answer 1

During the day the sun moves from a low angle in the sky to directly overhead. When it's at a low angle you're not receiving as much radiation as when it's directly overhead. So the maximum heating power is at noon. With the sun receding in the afternoon less radiation is incident upon the same location forcing the temperature to decrease and finally the sun sets and the ground begins to release radiation accumulated during the day as the location cools further.

Answer 2

The Earth is not thermally insulated from the rest of the Universe, which is a good thing. Otherwise life forms, as we know them, would be impossible. Heat can flow in and out. The same thing holds true for a given geographical location. Heat is received only during the day but heat is lost (dissipated) during the day as well as night, by convection to surrounding geographical areas, and by radiation into space. This keeps the temperatures from increasing for ever.

Answer 3

When a daily high is reached, the air temperature has warmed up as high as it can possibly warm given the amount of incoming solar radiation at the time of the high. Usually, total incoming solar radiation is falling (the sun is setting) as the high is reached, so temperatures cannot increase further.

Answer 4

Once air is warmed enough, it rises and is replaced with cooler air. This process ensures that the temperature will not exceed some high value. What the high temperature is depends on the time of the year.

Answer 5

If it went higher, it would establish a new high. Since the temperature won't increase indefinitely, there will be some highest temperature.

Answer 6

Sun temperature,moments around and pollution in the air.