Why does a rising air parcel cool off?
A)Its relative humidity is less than 100 percent.
B)It loses heat to its surroundings.
C)It loses energy by radiation.
D)It expands.
E)It is unstable.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

As the air parcel rises, the atmospheric pressure around it decreases, causing the parcel to expand. As the parcel expands, it does work against the surrounding air molecules, which results in adiabatic cooling. This means that no heat is added or removed from the parcel; it simply cools because of the pressure decrease that causes it to expand. This process is known as adiabatic expansion.

Why Does a Rising Air Parcel Cool Off