Why do the Andes have a cold climate even though they are located close to the equator?
1 Answer
It is due to the altitude.
Explanation:
As you go higher in the atmosphere there is lower pressure. This is due to the fact that as you move higher there is less atmosphere above you to provide said pressure.
Volume, pressure and temperature are all interrelated dependent on which remains constant. In this case it is an open system so nothing remains constant, however the volume is the variable that changes least. Therefore we can focus mostly on the relationship between pressure and temperature, which are directly proportional.
Therefore, since pressure is falling as you rise in the atmosphere, the temperature also will fall. The rate that is falls is called the lapse rate and the average lapse rate of the atmosphere is 6.5 degrees per 1000m.
The reason I say average lapse rate is the lapse rate is dependent on saturation of water vapor (if clouds are forming or not) and other atmospheric variables.
