The stability of the atmosphere depends on its ability toresist vertical motion. A stable atmosphere makesvertical movement difficult, and small verticaldisturbances dampen out and disappear. In an unstableatmosphere, small vertical air movements tend tobecome larger, resulting in turbulent airflow andconvective activity. Instability can lead to significantturbulence, extensive vertical clouds, and severeweather.Rising air expands and cools due to the decrease in airpressure as altitude increases. The opposite is true ofdescending air; as atmospheric pressure increases, thetemperature of descending...
