When a parcel of air moves upward in the atmosphere, what is the result?

When a parcel of air moves upward in the atmosphere, it encounters lower pressure as altitude increases. As a result, the air within the parcel expands. This expansion occurs without any heat exchange with the surrounding environment, a process known as adiabatic expansion. During this process, the internal energy of the air parcel decreases, leading to a drop in temperature. This phenomenon is crucial in meteorology because it helps explain the formation of clouds and precipitation; as the air cools, it can hold less moisture, leading to condensation and cloud development.

The characteristics of the other choices do not align with the behavior of a rising air parcel. For example, in the case of compression, that typically occurs when air descends rather than ascends. Air maintaining its temperature is inconsistent with the principles of how rising air behaves, and while moisture absorption can occur, it is a secondary effect rather than a direct result of the air parcel's movement upward.