Term: temperature lapse rate
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.T06266

Definition:
The rate of change of temperature with altitude (dT/dz). The rate of temperature decrease with increase in altitude which is expected to occur in an unperturbed dry air mass is 9.8 x 10E3°C min-1. This is called the dry adiabatic lapse rate. The lapse rate is taken as positive when temperature decreases with increasing height. For air saturated with H2O, the lapse rate is less because of the release of the latent heat of water as it condenses. The average tropospheric lapse rate is about 6.5 x 10E3°C min-1. The lapse rate has a negative value within an inversion layer.

Related Terms:
1) adiabatic lapse rate (<em>in atmospheric chemistry</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00144).
2) inversion (<em>in atmospheric chemistry</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.I03146).

Source: PAC, 1990, 62, 2167. 'Glossary of atmospheric chemistry terms (Recommendations 1990)' on page 2199 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199062112167)

Citation: 'temperature lapse rate' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.T06266

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