What set of conditions, working together, will make the atmosphere the most unstable ?
A) cooling the surface and warming the air aloft
B) cooling the surface and cooling the air aloft
C) warming the surface and cooling the air aloft
D) warming the surface and warming the air aloft

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the surface is warming, it heats the air in contact with it. This warm air rises, but if there is colder, denser air aloft, it will continue to rise rapidly, leading to unstable atmospheric conditions. If the air aloft is also cooling, it will become denser and sink, suppressing any rising motion and stabilizing the atmosphere. Therefore, warming the surface and cooling the air aloft will make the atmosphere the most unstable.

What Set of Conditions, Working Together, Will Make the Atmosphere