Paper 1 · November 2022 · Climatology

What term describes the rate at which the temperature of the surrounding, still air actually falls with height at a given time and place, as measured by a radiosonde?

Model answer

environmental lapse rate

Also accepted: ELR, the environmental lapse rate

Explanation

This is the environmental lapse rate (ELR), the actually observed rate of temperature change with height, distinct from the adiabatic rates that apply to a moving parcel of air.

Derived from ZIMSEC Advanced Level Geography 6037/1 Paper 1: Physical Component, November 2022 session, Q1

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