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Multiple Choice

What is the standard dry adiabatic lapse rate in degrees Celsius per 1000 meters?

The standard dry adiabatic lapse rate is the rate at which a rising, unsaturated air parcel cools as it expands without exchanging heat with its surroundings. As air rises, its pressure drops and it expands; this expansion consumes internal energy, so the parcel cools at a fixed rate: about 9.8°C for every 1000 meters of ascent. In more familiar terms, that’s roughly 3.0°C per 1000 feet, which translates to about 5.4°F per 1000 feet. This rate applies only to dry air; when the air becomes saturated and condensation occurs, the lapse rate is smaller (the moist adiabatic lapse rate). So the standard dry rate of 9.8°C per 1000 meters is the reference for unsaturated conditions.

The standard dry adiabatic lapse rate is the rate at which a rising, unsaturated air parcel cools as it expands without exchanging heat with its surroundings. As air rises, its pressure drops and it expands; this expansion consumes internal energy, so the parcel cools at a fixed rate: about 9.8°C for every 1000 meters of ascent. In more familiar terms, that’s roughly 3.0°C per 1000 feet, which translates to about 5.4°F per 1000 feet. This rate applies only to dry air; when the air becomes saturated and condensation occurs, the lapse rate is smaller (the moist adiabatic lapse rate). So the standard dry rate of 9.8°C per 1000 meters is the reference for unsaturated conditions.