Final answer:
To find the altitude where the temperature reaches the freezing point using the standard lapse rate, divide the temperature difference by the lapse rate. Starting from 15°C and dropping to 0°C at a rate of 6.5°C per 1000 meters, the freezing level would be reached at an altitude of approximately 2.31 km.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about the altitude at which the temperature reaches the freezing point, given a known surface temperature and using the standard lapse rate in atmospheric physics. The standard lapse rate is typically around 6.5°C per 1000 meters. Starting from a surface temperature of 15°C and knowing that the freezing point of water is 0°C, we can calculate the altitude where the temperature hits freezing. We need an altitude where the temperature drops by 15°C (from 15°C down to 0°C).
To find the altitude, we use the formula:
Altitude = (Temperature Difference) / Lapse Rate, which yields: Altitude = (15°C) / (6.5°C/km). We find that the altitude is approximately 2.31 km, which is the answer to the student's question.