Question

If a parcel of air is heated, what will happen to its density?

Answer 1

Air can be treated as an ideal gas then applying Ideal gas equation,

`PV=mRT`

`m/V=\frac{P}{RT}`

`\rho=\frac{P}{RT}`

Thus, assuming the pressure of parcel of air is constant during heating then `\rho\prop\frac{1}{T}` i.e. when temperature `T` of parcel of air is increased the its density will decrease.