Answers.com > Wiki Answers > Categories > Science > Earth Sciences > Atmospheric Sciences > Meteorology and Weather > Why is the air colder the higher we go?

Other contributors have said "If a village is higher would it be colder?" is the same question as "Why is the air colder the higher we go?" If you believe that these are not asking the same thing and should be answered differently, click here

Why is the air colder the higher we go?

In: Meteorology and Weather [Edit categories]

Answer:

Primarily because the atmospheric pressure is decreasing (the higher you go, the less atmosphere is above you), and temperature goes down as pressure goes down. It's also true that the sun heats the earth's surface and generally not the atmosphere, but this has little to do with the temperature dropping as you go up.

Contributor:

Jack

First answer by Mooshgahadi. Last edit by RUClimate. Contributor trust: 332 [recommend contributor ]. Question popularity: 3 [recommend question].

[report abuse]

Can you answer these Meteorology and Weather questions?

	What type of weather does Vicksburg have?	Answer it!
	How high does weather occur?	Answer it!
	What is the name given to the front air masses meet and remain stalled?	Answer it!
	What type of front is associated with purple triangles and semicircles on a weather map?	Answer it!
	Why is summer warmer than winter in Virginia?	Answer it!