2007-10-18 17:11:03 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
The reason is that the atmosphere is not heated by the sun directly but is heated from the bottom.
The solar radiation which is a short-wave radiation passes through the atmosphere without heating it(as atmosphere does not absorb short-wve radiation) and heats the earth's surface first.The heated earth in turn radiates long-wave radiation(terrestial radiation) and heats the air above it by conduction.The heated air in the vicinity of the ground then rises upwards as convection current and heats the upper layers.Thus the atmosphere is heated from below only and the amount of heat transferred decreases with altitude.So, temperature decreases with altitude.
2007-10-19 01:52:39 · answer #1 · answered by Arasan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thinner atmosphere....plus the sun heats up items by shinning on them reflecting off of them...as in the ground absorbing the heat . The air up high has nothing near it to absorb heat and warm it up.
2007-10-18 18:04:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah
2007-10-18 17:14:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thinner atmosphere
2007-10-18 17:14:01 · answer #4 · answered by Report Abuse 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oxygen + heat = Explosion. . .Air to thin up there
2007-10-18 18:07:45 · answer #5 · answered by JOSEPH R 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋