Final answer:
The correct answer is (c), since temperature typically increases with decreasing altitude but the exact temperature at the mountain's base is unknown without more information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question regarding the temperature at the top of the mountain compared to that at the bottom addresses the fact that temperature is not constant and changes with altitude. The correct answer to the question is (c) The temperature increases as you descend, but the exact temperature is unknown. It is a standard observation in Physics that temperature typically increases as altitude decreases due to the average lapse rate in the troposphere, which is about 6.5 K (or degrees Celsius) per kilometer. However, without specific information about local weather conditions, such as the presence of temperature inversions, the precise temperature at the mountain's base cannot be determined.