As air rises,it cools and clouds can form.The rate of cooling determines the elevation of cloud formation and cloud thickness.From first to last,the rates of cooling are

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The dry adiabatic lapse rate applies when air is unsaturated and determines the cloud base. Once air becomes saturated, the moist adiabatic lapse rate, which is slower due to latent heat release, governs the cloud's vertical growth. The environmental lapse rate, which is the actual rate of temperature decrease with altitude in the atmosphere, sets the upper limit of clouds by determining where rising air becomes warmer than the surrounding air and stops rising.

As Air Rises,it Cools and Clouds Can Form