why does the mountain tops stay snowy all year round
The air temperature is below that necessary to melt the snow.
the air is too thin to holh very much heat at those altitudes.aLSO, The snope reflects 90%of the incoming light, which further supresses the totat heat absorbed.
To understand why mountain tops stay snowy all year round, we need to consider a few factors. The primary reason is that the air temperature at high altitudes is generally below the melting point of snow. However, this is due to various factors related to the altitude and atmospheric conditions.
1. Low temperatures: As you move higher in altitude, the air becomes colder. This is because the thinner air at higher altitudes cannot hold as much heat as denser air at lower elevations. The higher the mountain, the colder the temperatures, which helps to preserve the snow.
2. Thin air: At higher altitudes, the air becomes thinner, meaning it contains fewer molecules. The thin air has a lower capacity to hold heat energy compared to denser air. Consequently, even if the sun's rays reach the mountain tops, there is not enough air to retain the heat, causing the temperature to remain low.
3. Snow reflection: Snow has a high albedo, which means it reflects a significant portion of the incoming sunlight. Approximately 90% of the sunlight falling on fresh snow is reflected back into the atmosphere. This reflection reduces the amount of heat absorbed by the snow, preventing it from melting even when exposed to sunlight.
Together, these factors contribute to the mountain tops staying snowy all year round. The combination of low temperatures, thin air, and the reflective nature of snow helps maintain the snowy conditions on mountaintops.