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- Moist air has water vapor in it.

- As a moist air parcel rises, the water vapor will condense (latent heat of condensation)

- latent heat is released, meaning a temperature increase occurs within that air parcel, effectively dampening its lapse rate.

Thus, the latent heat of condensation is working to decrease the lapse rate because sensible heat is being released in the process; its called the Moist Adiabatic Rate (MAR)

In contrast, the Dry Adiabatic Rate (DAR) considered for Dry air (no water vapor) does not involve condensation, and thus no latent heat is released; meaning the lapse rate is unaffected.

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Q: The lapse rate for moist air is lower than for dry air because?
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Related questions

Is the adiabatic lapse rate higher when its cloudy or not?

There are two types of adiabatic lapse rates...wet and dry. (wet is also referred to as saturated or moist) To the extent that the cloudiness your question refers to represents saturated air, then no, the wet adiabatic lapse rate would be lower (approximately 1.5C/1000') than the dry adiabatic lapse rate (approximately 3C/1000').


When the environmental lapse rate is between the dry and moist adiabatic lapse rates conditions are described as what?

They are called conditionally unstable,


What is the rate of cooling as you increase in elevation?

The rate at which adiabatic cooling occurs with increasing altitude for wet air (air containing clouds or other visible forms of moisture) is called the wet adiabatic lapse rate, the moist adiabatic lapse rate, or the saturated adiabatic lapse rate.


The rate of temperature change (0.6 degrees C for every 100 m) of saturated air as it rises or falls is the moist-adiabatic?

lapse rate


Why is saturated adiabatic lapse rate a lesser than dry adiabatic lapse rate?

When environmental lapse rate is more than dry adiabatic lapse rate, the atmosphere is said to be in


How does the moist adiabatic lapse rate compare with the dry-adiabatic lapse rate?

environmental lapse rate involves the actual temperature of the atmosphere at various heights. adiabatic cooling is the cooling of air caused when air is not allowed to expand or compress.


What does lapse rate mean?

Lapse rate is the rate at which air temperature decreases with existing altitude


What is the normal environmental lapse rate?

Usually somewhere between moist and dry adiabatic lapse rates: 6.5 C/1000 m - 10C/1000 m. It varies though seasonally, with location, and with time of day.


The rate of temperature change 0.6 degrees C for every 100 m of saturated air as it rises or falls is the moist adiabatic?

Lapse rate


What is the difference between the normal lapse rate and the environmental lapse rate?

The environmental lapse rate (ELR), is the rate of decrease of temperature with altitude in the stationary atmosphere at a given time and location.While Normal Lapse Rate is average concept for temperature decline with height in the troposphere.


Why is the lapse rate of moist air less than that of the dry air?

I think maritime polarWhen dry air is lifted, the temperature drops at the dry adiabatic lapse rate. If the lifted air is moist and eventually becomes saturated, then water vapor will start to condense. Energy is released when water vapor turns from solid to liquid (opposite of needing to add energy to liquid to make it evaporate, such as when you have to turn up the temperature on a stove to boil water). This release of energy - the "latent heat of vaporization" - warms the air, so the lapse rate is less for saturated air.


Explain why the lapse rate of moist air is less than that of dry air?

I think maritime polarWhen dry air is lifted, the temperature drops at the dry adiabatic lapse rate. If the lifted air is moist and eventually becomes saturated, then water vapor will start to condense. Energy is released when water vapor turns from solid to liquid (opposite of needing to add energy to liquid to make it evaporate, such as when you have to turn up the temperature on a stove to boil water). This release of energy - the "latent heat of vaporization" - warms the air, so the lapse rate is less for saturated air.