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home / study / science / earth sciences / questions and answers / explain what a conditionally unstable atmosphere ... Question: Explain what a conditionally unstable atmosphere i... Explain what a conditionally unstable atmosphere is. Include in your explanation, the comparison between the environmental lapse rate with the two air parcel lapse rates (the two air parcel lapse rates being the “dry adiabatic lapse rate” & the “saturated adiabatic lapse rate”). Also discuss why the environment’s stability is “conditional” for this situation.
Explanation / Answer
When an air mass is continuously get warmer and rises because of less density and pressure ; this condition is called conditionally unstable atmosphere. It also depends on whether the air is saturated or not.
The environmental lapse rate is the temperature decrease with the rising air. Generally the environmental lapse rate is faster when air is unstable than stable i.e saturated adiabatic lapse rate is higher than dry adiabatic lapse rare.
The environment's stability is "conditional" in this situation because mother nature trying to be in equilibrium so that warm air rises and get adiabaticly cooled by this the above situation is temporary.
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