What happens to the change in temperature for unsaturated air that is rising when it reaches its saturation point?
A)It stops rising until it loses water vapor as precipitation.
B)It continues to rise and the temperature continues to change in the same way it did before saturation.
C)Latent heat of condensation will be released and will increase the rate of change of temperature for the rising air.
D)Latent heat of condensation will be released and will decrease the rate of change of temperature for the rising air.
E)The saturated air is too heavy to continue to rise,so it begins to sink and will continue to rise and fall until some equilibrium state is achieved.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When unsaturated air rises, it cools at a rate of about 10°C per 1000 meters due to adiabatic expansion. However, when it becomes saturated, latent heat of condensation is released which slows down the rate of cooling. This means that the rate of temperature change decreases after saturation. Therefore, choice D is the correct answer.

What Happens to the Change in Temperature for Unsaturated Air