Adiabatic Cooling
What is adiabatic cooling?
Adiabatic cooling is the drop in air temperature that happens as air expands—without adding or removing heat from outside the air. This occurs naturally when air rises and the surrounding pressure decreases, allowing the air parcel to expand and cool. Think of it as: rising air cools simply because it spreads out, which is why clouds often form at altitude.
Studying for an FAA written test?
Terms like adiabatic cooling show up on the FAA knowledge test. Study them in context with ACS-aligned practice questions, AI explanations, and the cited FAA handbook reference behind every answer — free to start.
Learn more in the library
Related terms
- absolute ceiling
- accelerate-go distance
- acceleration error
- accessories
- adjustable stabilizer
- advection fog
- adverse yaw
- aerodynamic ceiling