Why is it cold at the top of mountain ranges?

-- stanley sho kindly (bigjessman222@yahoo.com), April 03, 2003

Answers

This is not a question with a simple answer. I don't think the mountains have much to do with it, air temperature in the atmosphere decreases with increasing height, at least under 10 km where all the mountains are. Now one can try to understand the physics of why this is so.

-- George Bell (gibell@attbi.com), April 05, 2003.

The air gets thinner the higher up you go ie. less air particles, these are what are warmed up by the sun to give us a higher air temperature. If the are les particles to be warmed up then there will be less heat! I think the rule is 1degree celsius lost every 1000 feet?

-- Tom watts (d_rula@yahoo.oc.uk), April 09, 2003.

why is top of the moutain so cold? If you know the answer please write to me soon..........=^.^=.............

-- tricia (tricia_roh93@hotmail.com), October 04, 2003.

It varies a lot but a more accurate general rule would be 1' celcius less for every 150m (500ft) climbed

-- Brendan Howard (br3nd4n@hotmail.com), October 10, 2003.