Question

Calculate the Height of the Cloud Base with a Temp of 15C and a Dew Point of 5C.

a) 1,000 feet
b) 2,000 feet
c) 3,000 feet
d) 4,000 feet

Answer 1

Using the lapse rate of
`2.5°C per 1,000 feet` the height of the cloud base for a temperature of
`15°C` and a dew point of
`5°C` is calculated to be approximately
`4,000 feet`.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the height of the cloud base with a temperature of
`15°C` and a dew point of
`5°C` we can use the cloud base formula which relates temperature and dew point to the cloud base altitude in a particular atmospheric condition. The formula is:

`Cloud Base Height (feet) = (Temperature - Dew Point) ÷ Lapse Rate`

The average lapse rate, which is the rate at which temperature decreases with an increase in altitude is typically considered to be about
`2.5°C per 1,000 feet`.

Using this lapse rate, we can plug in the values:

`(15°C - 5°C) ÷ 2.5°C per 1,000 feet = 10°C ÷ 2.5°C per 1,000 feet = 4,000 feet`

Therefore, the cloud base would be approximately
`4,000 feet` for the given temperature and dew point.