Definition: As a parcel of air rises in elevation, its temperature is reduced or cooled by 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit for every 1000 foot rise in elevation. During a temperature inversion, the lapse rate is opposite so the parcel of air heats 3.5 degrees F for every 1000 feet.
Pronunciation: laps-rate
Also Known As: normal lapse rate
Examples:
As we went higher on our hike up the mountain, the air became cooler and cooler, due to the lapse rate.
