Which statement best describes temperature change with height in the troposphere?

• A. Temperature increases with height
• B. Temperature decreases with height
• C. Temperature remains constant
• D. Temperature fluctuates unpredictably

Answer: (B)

In the troposphere, air temperature generally falls as you gain altitude. This happens because the surface heats the air from below; rising air expands as atmospheric pressure decreases and cools in the process. The typical environmental lapse rate is about 6.5°C per kilometer, though the exact rate varies with moisture and weather conditions. This cooling with height is what drives cloud formation and many weather phenomena. Local exceptions exist, such as temperature inversions where a layer above is warmer than the air beneath, but the common pattern through the troposphere is a decrease in temperature with height.