Heat in Atmosphere: Why are Mountains Nearer to Sun?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the question of why mountains, despite being closer to the sun, experience lower temperatures compared to the ground. Participants explore concepts related to atmospheric pressure, heat retention, and the effects of altitude on temperature.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that heat is more concentrated at ground level than in mountains, questioning the relationship between altitude and temperature.
  • One participant suggests that mountains lose heat more quickly due to their exposure to the elements and their surface area-to-volume ratio.
  • Another participant introduces the concept of expansional cooling and compressional warming, explaining how air currents affect temperature changes with altitude.
  • Some participants challenge the validity of certain explanations found in external sources, arguing that the relationship between altitude and temperature is more complex than stated.
  • There is a mention that the distance from the sun is negligible when considering the temperature differences experienced at high altitudes.
  • Questions are raised about the differing temperature behaviors in the troposphere and stratosphere, with one participant noting that the troposphere is heated from below while the stratosphere is heated from above.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the reasons for temperature variations between ground level and mountainous regions. Some explanations are contested, and no consensus is reached regarding the mechanisms at play.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference external sources that may contain differing interpretations of the relationship between altitude and temperature, highlighting the complexity of the topic and the potential for misunderstanding.

Hepic
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Heat is more in ground than in mountains.
Why? Mountains are nearer to sun,then what happens?
Thanks!
 
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Hepic said:
Heat is more in ground than in mountains.
Why? Mountains are nearer to sun,then what happens?
Thanks!

Do you have a source for that statement? If so, perhaps the source explains it.
 
Mountains are more exposed to the elements and have lots of surface area per volume, making heat loss (through surface) faster and heat storage (through volume) smaller.
 
Thank you Khashishi. So the answer is "pressure" and that "in high altidutes is harder to be kept the energy."
I ask you because I am bad in english,so I want to know If I undestood everything.
Thanks!
 
To be clear, just being at higher pressure doesn't necessarily require the temperature to be higher. But imagine that there are circulating air currents up and down the atmosphere. When an air mass rises, it will expand due to the smaller pressure up there and will lose energy (not as heat, but as work). That's called expansional cooling. The opposite happens on the way down when the air mass gets compressed under the higher pressure increasing in temperature as it gains energy (again, as work - not heat). That's called compressional warming. Note that the presence of circulating air currents is important for that argument to make sense. The lowest layer of the atmosphere where we live - the troposphere - has those circulating currents (we call them convection) and has its temperature drop steadily with altitude (most of the time). But the layer above the troposphere - the stratosphere - does not. Turns out temperature in the Stratosphere actually increases with altitude.
 
Khashishi said:

The answer provided by Paul Shepson in your link is correct but the one provided by Michael Tinnesand isn't.

here is the quote

Michael Tinnesand said:
The basic answer is that the farther away you get from the earth, the thinner the atmosphere gets. The total heat content of a system is directly related to the amount of matter present, so it is cooler at higher elevations.

That answers is NOT correct.
 
Pythagorean said:
Mountains are more exposed to the elements and have lots of surface area per volume, making heat loss (through surface) faster and heat storage (through volume) smaller.

That answer is not correct
 
Hepic said:
Heat is more in ground than in mountains.
Why? Mountains are nearer to sun,then what happens?
Thanks!

One more thing. You mentioned the fact that the mountain is closer to the sun. This effect is completely negligible. The height of a tall mountain is about 10 km. The distance to the sun is about 150 000 000 km
 
  • #10
Why different things happens in stratosphere?
 
  • #11
Hepic said:
Why different things happens in stratosphere?

The Troposphere is heated from below. That promotes convection. The Stratosphere is heated from above.
 

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