If warm air rises, why does it get colder the higher you go?

Answer 1

Heat rises, but also disperses. Molecules of air in upper climes are more spread out. In other words, the density of air is becomes increaslingly lower with height, so these molecules do not transfer heat energy so frequently (thus not as effectively). In the upper atmosphere, molecules rarely meet another molecule because of such a low density measure.
It is colder higher up because the sun's rays heat the earth (light converting to heat) and the warmth is felt from the ground, so heat does not reach higher altitudes with as much energy, due to less molecular interaction.

Answer 2

Air does not absorb much heat from light passing through it. It gets most of its heat from contact with the ground or the ocean, so it gets heated at the surface and then rises. As it rises, it expands due to the lower air pressure at altitude. As the air expands, the heat in it becomes less concentrated, resulting in lower temperature. You might notice that, when you use a bicycle pump, the tube of the pump gets warm, and the little metal connector between the barrel and the hose gets hot. This is due to increasing the pressure, reducing the volume and concentrating the heat in the air.

Answer 3

maximum surprising, heat air rises chilly air is going down. yet those heat air can in basic terms attain as intense the place they are trapped by ability of molecules that inonise and gathers the moisture into clouds. the less warm temperature at bigger altitudes has have been given some thing to do with relative humidity besides, and the place it on the equator. Northern selection mountains / alps have extra snow accumulating on the peaks whilst in comparison with the asian mountains on the part of the equator

Answer 4

The air gets thinner and there is less oxygen so it also gets colder.

I am just not certain how cold it actually is in space like at the space station and that would be a good question too.

Answer 5

It's windier higher. Air currents displace heat. Warm air doesn't just rise up. It expands in all directions where there is a lower temeperature.

Answer 6

The air is thinner, so it holds less heat (less mass less heat) and the rising air is free to expand so it need not change in temperature it just increases in volume and dissipates the heat.

Answer 7

Also the air-speed rises the higher up you go. On a recent flight, the little screens they have showed that the wind speed was 160mph. It would be pretty hard to stay warm in that kind of 'breeze!'

Answer 8

There is also less air pressure, which means less molecules in air. Heat transfer requires movement of molecules. If there are less molecules to move around, obviously less heat as well.

Answer 9

Hmm, not exactly right!
Warm air is LIGHTER than COLD air, so cold air sinks below the warm air, lifting it up, it also cools the warm air, making it heaver, so it sinks back down!

Answer 10

Another way to say the air is thinner (less molecules per cubic cm), thus it can not retain heat.
Charles "That Cheeky Lad"