Is cold air more stable than warm air?

Question

Is cold air more stable than warm air?

Answer 1

Cold air is not more stable or unstable than warm air. The stability is in the difference of temperature between two air masses and not its absolute temperature.

The average temperature fall with altitude is 0.65 degrees Celcius per 100 meters. The dry air adiabatic temperature fall is 1 C/100 m and the wet air adiabatic is 0.5 C/100 m.

If, when measuring temperature at the surface and up in the atmosphere, the difference is more than 1 C/100 m then the air is said to be unstable. If it is more than 0.5 C/100 m, it is said to be stable and when it is between the two, it is said to be conditionaly unstable. Then condition then is the degree of humidity in the air. Below dew point, it will be stable but above, it will be unstable.

Unstable air masses mean that convections will continue to rise until it reaches a stable temperature. But if it doesn't and the air is colder all the way to the tropopause, it will climb all the way as it happens in a thunderstorm.

Answer 2

Absolutely , remember you can't catch heat , but , you can catch a cold >   10 points please

Answer 3

Cold air is more dense than warm air. As it rises, it cant hold as much moisture as warm air, and it releases it as precipitation/rain.

Answer 4

Cold air is more dense and stable, while warm air is lighter and less stable causing lift.  Lifting means instability (not stable).

Answer 5

The stability of air is determined by the condition whether any sample of air is relatively lighter or denser than the surrounding atmosphere in order to undergo an upward or downward motion,when displaced slightly from its original position.

A warm air can contain more moisture than cold air and this moist air must be lighter than dry air.So.if a warm air if it contains moisture, becomes lighter than the surroundings and rises which means it has become unstable .So, comparatively a cold air more stable than warm air.

Answer 6

yes it is because it susidence on the surface bellow.