Question

If the air temperature is 73°F at sea level, what is the temperature at the top of Pike's Peak (elevation 14,000 ft)? (Hint: The temperature decreases rather uniformly in the troposphere.)

_______ °F

Answer 1

temperature decrease in clear dry weather is governed by what’s known as the “Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate,” or

about 9.8 °C/km

or (5.38 °F per 1,000 ft)

so at the altitude of 14000 ft , temperature will decrease by 14 x 5.38 ^oF

so, temperature decreases by 75.32 ^oF.

T_f = 73 ^oF - 75.3 ^oF

T_f = -2.3 ^oF . Answer