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The Pilots Desk

Dry adiabatic lapse rate

The rate at which unsaturated air cools as it rises or warms as it descends, approximately 3°C per 1,000 feet (5.4°F per 1,000 feet or 10°C per kilometer). This cooling occurs due to expansion as atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude, without any moisture condensation taking place. Used to predict temperature changes and atmospheric stability.