Why isnt it warmer in mountains since you're closer to the sun?

Question

Lighten up everyone.....it was only asked as a joke. When my son was little he asked me that question.

Answer 1

Air temperature is in part controlled by pressure. There is an equation that approximately describes the relationship called the Ideal Gas Law:

PV = nRT

The air pressure on a mountain top is lower than the pressure at sea level because there is less air sitting on top of the mountain than there is sitting on top of the ocean.

Therefore when air flows from sea level up to a mountain top the pressure falls. When the pressure of air falls then the temperature must also fall. The Ideal Gas Law describes this relationship. Therefore as air flows up to a mountain top as the pressure falls the air gets colder.

Since the air is colder it wants to absorb heat from the sun and it does. Then when it flows back down the mountain it will heat up again and because it has absorbed some heat it will heat up quite a bit. That is why deserts are often on the down wind sides of mountain ranges.

A good example of such a hot desert area is The state of Nevada. Nevada is down wind of the Serra Mountains and that is why the tops of the Sierras are cold and Nevada is so hot.

Answer 2

Air (in the troposphere at least) is not warmed by the sun. Most of the energy that hits the Earth's surface is visible light, which is not felt as heat. But this light is absorbed by the earth and, though some of it is re-emitted as visible light (the green you see in the grass and such) most is transformed into infrared radiation and emitted (which you feel as heat.)

Therefore, the air nearest the surface of the earth is warmed, it rises upward and cooler air from above replaces it at the ground creating a circulation in the layer of air nearest the ground. This layer of air is typically called the boundary layer.

On another note: Temperature scientifically is a measurement the amount of energy in a particle. For example, the temperature at the top of the thermosphere is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but if you take a thermometer up there, it won't read nearly that. This is because the density of particles up there is so low that not enough are hitting the thermometer and transferring enough energy to it for it to read the true temperature.

Answer 3

Your question about why temperatures on mountains aren't warmer, is a good
one. But in reality, the air is not warmed directly by the sun's rays, but
by infrared, or long-wave radiation from the earth. The sun's rays strike
the earth, and are absorbed by the earth, which raises the temperature of
the earth. The earth reradiates the energy at a wavelength dependent on the
temperature of the earth. The air is able to absorb the earth radiation, and
becomes warmer. At high altitudes, as on mountain tops, strong winds keep
the air mixed, and prevent much rise in temperatures near the surface of the
mountain.

Answer 4

possibly you're pertaining to Black Holes that are so dense that not something, not even elementary escapes from it, sucking in count from all round it. Our solar is a medium sized superstar about 4.5 billion years previous. it really is anticipated to very last yet another 4 billion years and then that is going to go via a lengthy, agonizing lack of life. yet Earth could have perished lengthy beforehand then because the warmth of the increasing solar could have pushed off all the water and gases. It behooves us to discover different liveable planets/moons and to benefit the artwork of terraforming to live on.

Answer 5

Nope, because you're further from the air that the sun heats. The air is thinner in higher altitudes.

Answer 6

><....earth and space science revisited...

Mountains = High altitude
High altitude = cooler, thinner air
Hence, mountains = coolness

Hope that was watered down enough...freshman year was 2 years ago..

Answer 7

Because there's less atmosphere to keep the cold in (like in space)

Answer 8

Your a dousche.

Never taken any science classes?

Answer 9

Cool air rises thats all i know..

Answer 10

no its colder because you are closer to the vaccum of space.