Why do mountains have snow on top of them even when there's no snow below?

Question

Since they're closer to the Sun shouldn't the snow melt away from the top before the bottom.

Answer 1

A logical argument like yours, "mountain tops are closer to the sun so they should be warmer", makes perfect sense. But it is obviously wrong. Mountain tops are ALWAYS colder than lower altitudes.

The EARTH absorbs light from the sun and is warmed. Mountain tops are farther from the earth than the lower altitude locations.

Answer 2

Air is all around us and it's pushing down (atmospheric pressure). The higher up you go the less air there is above you so it's not pushing down as much - there's less pressure. Becuase there's less pressure pushing down the air is able to expand more. Because the air is expanding the atoms and molecules in the air are spread out more and it's these that provide heat.

So... the higher you go the less pressure there is, the less poressure there is the more the air expands, the more the air expands the colder it gets.

On the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain on earth and 8848 metres high, there is only 40% of the amount of air at the summit than there is down at sea level. Not only does this make it very difficult to breath but it makes it very cold as well. The lack of air pressure also has some very strange effects on the body and can cause the organs including the brain to expand.

You're right to say that being closer to the sun should make the snow melt quicker - and it does, but the effect is very small. And, being closer to the sun means there's less atmosphere to protect the snow covered summits from the suns rays. Whilst it's a valid point that you made there are other more powerful factors that cause temperatures to fall as you get higher.

Answer 3

The sun is about 93 million miles away, but the top of even Mt Everest, the highest peak on Earth, is only a little over 29,000 feet or only 0.00000006% of the distance to the sun.

We have atmosphere, which has more of an effect on climate control than the sun does. Since the temperature drops an average of 4 degrees for every thousand feet in elevation gain, the sun would have to be a LOT closer to melt snowcaps first.

Answer 4

White snow reflects sunlight and doesn't absorb much of it, so clean snow in cold temperatures, doesn't melt.

The temperature of the atmosphere naturally drops by about 4 degrees for every thousand feet of elevation.

That means the top of a10 thousand foot tall mountain is always at least 40 degrees cooler than the temperature at sea level.

If sea level temperature was 72 degrees, than the top of that mountain would be (72 minus 40) ... an ideal (for snow) temperature of 32 degrees.

Answer 5

The space aliens told the Bigfoot tribe to . take snow, bring to top of mountain, so that when they get back they will have snow for their power generators, which run off snow, as they need to land on tops of mountains so you chimp & space alien mix creatures want see them.I wish they would come back soon,were getting kind or tired of this work.signed Forest Sky Yeti the 14th.

Answer 6

No, because the atmosphere is thinner, so there are less molecules to absorb heat from the sun. The temperature falls about 1 degree C for every 300m increase in altitude.

Answer 7

The mountain is at a hight altitude, there for the air is much much colder. Thin air is cold air. Thin air is harder to breathe as well. It's all about the altitude of that mountain. What happened to you during science class anyway. And what is this question doing it the religion and spirituality forum?

Answer 8

that is basic geography my dear "the higher you go the colder it becomes" have you ever looked at the world map if you have then you'll find that most of the countries below the equator are very/quite warm compared to the countries above the equator. that means the countries close to the south pole are warmer than those close to the north pole does that make sense?

Answer 9

No. the lower oxygen levels allow for less heat in the higher altitudes. Ever notice Mount Kilomajaro has snow, even though its in Africa?

Answer 10

At higher altitudes (the way mountains are) it's a lot colder than aat lower altitudes (the ground) therefore there can be snow on the mountains and none below.