Introduction:

Temperature is a measure of how hot or cold something is; specifically, a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in an object, which is a type of energy associated with motion. But how hot is hot, and how cold is cold? The terms hot and cold are not very scientific terms. If we really want to specify how hot or cold something is, we must use temperature. For instance, how hot is melted iron? To answer that question, a physical scientist would measure the temperature of the liquid metal. Using temperature instead of words, like hot or cold, reduces confusion.

On average, the time of day when air temperature is the highest is usually about 3 PM, as heat continues to build up after noon. However, after 3 PM the Sun is low enough in the sky for more heat to be lost than absorbed, causing a gradual decline in air temperature.

During the night there is no direct sunlight, so there is more solar energy being lost than absorbed, causing air temperature during the night to be relatively cooler than during the day.

Temperature decreases at higher altitudes because there is less air exerting pressure than at sea level. According to Gay-Lussac’s law, pressure and temperature at a constant volume are directly proportional, so if there is a decrease in pressure, temperature will consequently decrease.

Temperature inversions occur when the normal heat gradient of the atmosphere—air is warmer near the ground and cooler in the sky—is reversed. A temperature inversion typically occurs in the late evening and disappears just after sunrise. A visual cue that a temperature inversion has happened is fog (or smog in an urban environment).