What happens to temperature at higher altitudes in the atmosphere?

As altitude increases in the atmosphere, temperature generally decreases, particularly in the troposphere, which is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere. This phenomenon occurs due to the decreasing density of air with elevation. At lower altitudes, the atmosphere is thicker, and air molecules are more closely packed, which allows for more heat retention. However, as you climb higher, there are fewer air molecules, leading to less heat being retained in the atmosphere.

This decrease in temperature with altitude is referred to as the environmental lapse rate, which averages about 6.5 degrees Celsius per kilometer in the troposphere. This cooling occurs because most of the Earth's heat comes from the surface, and as you move away from that heat source, temperatures drop.

In other layers of the atmosphere, such as the stratosphere, temperature can actually increase with altitude due to the absorption of ultraviolet radiation by the ozone layer. However, this doesn't negate the generalized trend of temperature decreasing with altitude in the troposphere, which is typically the focus of discussions regarding temperature in relation to elevation. Thus, understanding that temperature decreases with higher altitudes is essential in meteorology and atmospheric studies.