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No. It may be tempting to assume that the sun warms the outermost atmosphere more because it is closer to this layer. However, we know this is not the case. Anyone that has ever climbed to the peak of a mountain knows that things get colder as they make their ascent. Indeed, it is clearly evident that the atmosphere warms from the bottom up, not from the top down. But how is this possible when the sun is closer to the top of the atmosphere? To answer this question you need to know how the greenhouse effect works.

Greenhouse warming is the process that heats up planet atmospheres. Without gases like water, carbon dioxide, and methane our planet would be too cold to sustain life. The reason sunlight does not warm the upper portions of the atmosphere is because energy from visible light is barely absorbed by these greenhouse gases. Infrared heat is what greenhouse gasses are notorious for absorbing. Since infrared heat cannot travel through the vacuum of space, the upper atmosphere of our planet is not initially heated as a wave of solar radiation makes its way to our planet. The sunlight must first propagate through the atmosphere all the way to the earth's surface where it is absorbed. After being absorbed at the surface of earth, energy is released as infrared heat. As soon as the energy is emitted from the surface, it is collected in the lower 'greenhouse blanket'. A lesser amount of this energy reaches the upper atmosphere. Hence, the sun is indirectly responsible for warming our atmosphere; it is the surface of earth that actually does the warming.

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Q: Does temperature increases on increase in altitude?
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Related questions

As altitude increases in the Troposphere does the temperature increase?

No, the temperature does not increase in fact it decreases as the altitude increases yes it does.


Does the temperature in the troposphere increase as the altitude increases?

No, the temperature in the troposphere decreases as the altitude increases.


In the troposphere which decreases as altitude increase?

Temperature decreases as altitude increases in the troposphere


Does the temperature increase or decrease with altitude in the thermoshpere?

The temperature increases like the stratosphere


When altitude increases temperature does what?

Temperature decreases as altitude increases.


WHAT Is the difference between stratosphere and mesosphere?

The stratosphere's temperature increases as altitude increases. The mesosphere's temperature decreases as it's altitude increases. This is helpful


What does the temperature do as you increase in altitude?

Temperature decreases as altitude increases because there are less molecules in the atmosphere to hold in the heat.


What forces the temperature to increase with the altitude in the troposphere?

If the temperature increases with increasing altitude in the troposphere, then a temperature inversion exists. All the weather that we are primarily interested in, occurs in the troposphere.


Troposphere increase or decrease in air temp?

The temperature of the Troposphere generally decreases as altitude increases.


Which decreases as altitude increases?

As altitude increases pressure and temperature decrease.


Temperature vs elevation?

As the altitude or elevation increases the temperature decreases. The temperature drops about 6.5 degree Celsius for every I km increase.


Does the stratosphere's altitude increase or decrease?

As we go up in height, altitude increases. Thus the altitude increases.