Which of the foolowing occurs when a mass of air rises into the atmosphere?

A) it becomes warmer because the particles move closer together
B) it becomes cooler because the particles move closer together
C) it becomes cooler because the particles move farther apart
D) it becomes warmer because the particles move farther apart

C. The atoms moving apart lose Kinetic energy by expanding, KE is a measure of temperature.

When a mass of air rises into the atmosphere, it undergoes a process called adiabatic cooling or expansion. This process causes the air to become cooler because the particles in the air move farther apart.

To understand why this happens, we need to consider the relationship between temperature and pressure in a gas. According to the ideal gas law, when the volume of a gas increases, its pressure decreases, and vice versa, assuming constant temperature.

When air rises and moves to higher altitudes in the atmosphere, it experiences lower atmospheric pressure. The reduced pressure causes the air to expand, which means the particles in the air move farther apart.

As the air expands, it does work against the surrounding air, using up some of its internal energy. This results in a decrease in temperature, causing the air mass to become cooler.

So, the correct answer to the question is C) it becomes cooler because the particles move farther apart.