When stable air is forced to lift as it passes over a mountain range, the air may become saturated and condensation may occur. In this case, the air is
A) stable.
B) unstable.
C) conditionally unstable.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When stable air is forced to lift, it may become saturated and condensation may occur. This creates a conditionally unstable atmosphere, meaning that while the environmental lapse rate may initially be less than the dry adiabatic lapse rate, once the air becomes saturated and the latent heat of condensation is released, the lapse rate can increase and the atmosphere becomes unstable.

When Stable Air Is Forced to Lift as It Passes