if hot air rises, why does it get colder the higher you go?

Answer 1

The source of heat in the air is solar radiation on the surface of the earth, since air picks up very little energy from direct sunlight (it's almost perfectly transparent!). As the heated air rises from the ground, it expands and thereby cools. The actual plot of temperature of the air at higher altitudes is complicated, dropping to a minimum at about 40,000-50,000 feet, and rising again to a maximum at 150,000 feet, and dropping again to another minimum at about 50 miles, only to rise AGAIN at still higher altitudes. It invovles a complex interplay of atmospheric thermodynamics, composition, and solar radiation.

Answer 2

because the atmosphere is thinner the higher u go as well so basically the hot evolves into colder air

Answer 3

right here got here from Newton Ask a Scientists / The link is referred to below - right here that's as that's on the internet internet site: question - Why does temperature decrease as one is going larger in the ambience? expensive Julie, ...your question approximately how the ambience is heated is a stable one, because of the fact the suitable answer isn't without put off obvious... you will surmise, that because of the fact the sunlight is the source of the warmth for the earth and atmosphere, that the ambience would desire to be warmer at factors nearer to the sunlight, like on the precise of the ambience, particularly of the opposite. however the ambience isn't warmed rapidly through the sunlight...that's warmed through the EARTH...! most of the capability from the sunlight arrives on earth in certainly one of those sunshine capability, or short-wave capability. the ambience is obvious to short-wave capability, and a great type of of the photograph voltaic capability reaches the outdoors of the earth, the place that's absorbed. This capability warms the outdoors of the earth, which, in turn, warms the ambience with long-wave capability. the form of capability radiated through a action picture star mostly relies upon on the temperature. So the capability from the sunlight arrives on earth as short-wave (in the seen area of the spectrum) capability, and leaves the earth as long-wave (in the infra-crimson area of the spectrum) capability. the ambience isn't sparkling to long-wave radiation, and absorbs the warmth capability from the earth. That area of the ambience closest to the earth gets the main capability and is the warmest. because of the fact the sunlight is almost overhead in the latitudes nearest the equator, those places get carry of extra photograph voltaic capability consistent with unit section, and alter into warmer than those places close to the poles. This distinction in the quantity of capability won and next heating of the ambience and evaporation of water from the lakes and oceans, is what drives the "climate device" on earth. i wish this has replied your question, Julie. If no longer, please enable me understand, and that i will supply you extra tips. Wendell Bechtold, Meteorologist Forecaster, national climate provider climate Forecast place of work, St. Louis, MO

Answer 4

Lower atmospheric pressure... Air molecules are less pressed, giving more space and making them harder to speed up. Heat energy is more widely dispersed as well.

Answer 5

bcoz pressure is low there