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Environmental Science for AP2nd EditionAndrew Friedland, Rick Relyea 964 solutions Why is the wet adiabatic rate less than the dry adiabatic rate?Effect of Water in the Atmosphere
In general, as a parcel of air rises, the water vapor in it condenses and heat is released. The rising air will therefore cool more slowly as it rises; the wet adiabatic lapse rate will in general be less negative than the dry adiabatic lapse rate.
Why is moist adiabatic lapse rate smaller than dry?Basically, the saturated adiabatic lapse rate is less compared to the dry adiabatic lapse rate. This is because the cooling of the parcel of air in the saturated adiabatic lapse rate during rising is divided into energy released upon condensation.
How does the moist adiabatic lapse rate compare to the dry adiabatic lapse rate?The dry adiabatic lapse rate is approximately a 5.5 degree Fahrenheit change in temperature for every 1000 feet of vertical movement. The moist adiabatic lapse rate, on the other hand, is the rate at which a saturated parcel of air warms or cools when it moves vertically.
Why are moist and dry adiabatic rates cooling different?The dry adiabatic rate and moist adiabatic rate of cooling are different due to the fact that latent heat is released in a rising parcel of saturated air. In a stable atmosphere, a lifted parcel of air will be cooler (heavier) than the air surrounding it, and will tend to sink back to its original position.
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