Original Project
Weather and Climate I: Basic Elements
The pattern of the rise and fall of air temperature over a day and over a year at any given place on the surface…
Item WC094001: Air temperature decreases with increasing distance above sea level.
As a family climbs a mountain, they notice that it is windier, cloudier, and feels colder the higher they climb. What could explain why the air feels colder higher on the mountain?
- The air temperature is actually the same high on the mountain as it is lower down, but the air would feel colder because it is windier.
- The air temperature is actually the same high on the mountain as it is lower down, but the air could feel colder because they are closer to the clouds.
- Air temperature would actually increase the higher they climb because they are getting closer to the sun, but the air could feel colder because it is windier.
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The air could feel colder because air temperature decreases the farther the air is above sea level.
- Distribution of Responses
- Students Responding Correctly
| Group | Correct | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 930 | 1584 | 59% |
| Grades | |||
| 6–8 | 552 | 946 | 58% |
| 9–12 | 377 | 635 | 59% |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 427 | 734 | 58% |
| Female | 490 | 824 | 59% |
| Primary Language | |||
| English | 842 | 1409 | 60% |
| Other | 64 | 128 | 50% |