Air pressure drops __________ with altitude in a column of cold (dense) air than in a column of warm (less dense) air.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Air pressure drops more rapidly with altitude in a column of cold (dense) air than in a column of warm (less dense) air. This is because in cold air, the molecules are packed closely together, which means there are more molecules in the same volume of space. As altitude increases, there are fewer air molecules above, and so the pressure decreases more quickly. In warm air, the molecules are more spread out, so there are fewer molecules in the same volume of space to begin with. This means that the pressure decreases more slowly with altitude.

Air Pressure Drops __________ with Altitude in a Column of Cold