Sponsor Area

Solar Radiation, Heat Balance And Temperature

Question
CBSEENGE11010789

Distinguish between normal lapse rate and the inversion of temperature.

Solution
Normal Lapse Rate: The atmosphere is heated mainly by terrestrial radiation. Hence, the lower layer of the air in contact with the earth's surface is the warmest and temperature gradually decreases with the increasing height. On the average, there is a fall of 1°C per 165 metres of ascent. This is known as normal lapse rate of temperature.


Inversion of Temperature: Inversion of temperature means the upsetting of the general rule of vertical distribution of temperature, i.e. temperature decreases with the increasing height. In this phenomenon, the temperature increases with the increasing altitude. Hence, the colder layers of the air are located near the surface of the earth and warmer layers of the air are high above.