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Counties", "Metabolic traits of westslope cutthroat trout, introduced rainbow trout and their hybrids in an ecotonal hybrid zone along an elevation gradient", Downloadable ETOPO2 Raw Data Database (2 minute grid), Downloadable ETOPO5 Raw Data Database (5 minute grid), Calculate true altitude with these JavaScript applications, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Altitude&oldid=995521847, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from December 2018, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 21 December 2020, at 14:20. Additional Resources 6. Extremely high altitude: 18,000+ feet (5,500+ meters). Altitude is the elevation of an object from a known level or datum. The most high-altitude point on Earth is Mount Everest, in the Himalayan mountain range on the border of Nepal and the Chinese region of Tibet. [7] The human body can adapt to high altitude by breathing faster, having a higher heart rate, and adjusting its blood chemistry. [15] The lack of oxygen above 2,400 metres (8,000 ft) can cause serious illnesses such as altitude sickness, high altitude pulmonary edema, and high altitude cerebral edema. If radiation were the only way to transfer heat from the ground to space, the greenhouse effect of gases in the atmosphere would keep the ground at roughly 333 K (60 °C; 140 °F), and the temperature would decay exponentially with height. The term “altitude” can be seen in airplanes, helicopters, space shuttles, rockets and other atmospheric vehicles. Her science teacher told her class about a very bright star called Sirius and Katie wanted to see if she could find it. Altitude is defined on the following scale: Very high altitude: 12,000 - 18,000 feet (3,658 - 5,487 meters); and. Mountains have an elevation based on how high they are and your mood has an elevation as you get happier. Generally, altitude is the distance one thing is … [25][26] These changes are the basis of altitude training which forms an integral part of the training of athletes in a number of endurance sports including track and field, distance running, triathlon, cycling and swimming. Although the term altitude is commonly used to mean the height above sea level of a location, in geography the term elevation is often preferred for this usage. Altitude or height (also sometimes known as 'depth') is defined based on the context in which it is used (aviation, geometry, geographical survey, sport, atmospheric pressure, and many more). The strategies used by animals to adapt to high altitude depend on their morphology and phylogeny. Get the latest science news with ScienceDaily's free email newsletters, updated daily and weekly. Controlling Chemical Catalysts With Sculpted ... 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The density of the atmosphere decreases outward, because the planet’s gravitational attraction, which pulls the gases and aerosols inward, is greatest close to the surface. Altitude means height above the ground or above the sea level. Finally, note that only the troposphere (up to approximately 11 kilometres (36,000 ft) of altitude) in the Earth's atmosphere undergoes notable convection; in the stratosphere, there is little vertical convection. 2020 Tied for Warmest Year On Record: NASA, Climate Change: Billions in Flood Damages, Pulsar Acceleration: Milky Way's Dark Side, Platypus: How Odd Mammal Got to Be So Bizarre, Search for Dark Matter from the Multiverse, Virtual Contact Lenses for Radar Satellites. For explosive events (sprints up to 400 metres, long jump, triple jump) the reduction in atmospheric pressure signifies less atmospheric resistance, which generally results in improved athletic performance. rest of the solar system and the broader expanse of the universe is located This is the process of convection. Elevation definition, the height to which something is elevated or to which it rises: The elevation of the tower is 80 feet. height above sea level: The city of Denver is situated at an altitude of almost exactly one mile. However, regardless of the definition given, the idea is still the same as it always has to do with the comparison with a distance from the ground or sea. In aviation, the term altitude can have several meanings, and is always qualified by explicitly adding a modifier (e.g. "true altitude"), or implicitly through the context of the communication. Altitude. Have any problems using the site? Water vapor contains latent heat of vaporization. [16][17] It can take days or weeks to adapt to high altitude. Definition of altitude in the Definitions.net dictionary. These adaptations are similar to those induced by regular exercise so it would be reasonable to assume th… [5][6][7], At high altitude, atmospheric pressure is lower than that at sea level. Sports organizations acknowledge the effects of altitude on performance: the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF), for example, marks record performances achieved at an altitude greater than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) with the letter "A".[24]. [4] The thermosphere and exosphere (along with the higher parts of the mesosphere) are regions of the atmosphere that are conventionally defined as space. The position of a celestial object above an observer's horizon, measured in degrees along a … [23] For endurance events (races of 5,000 metres or more) the predominant effect is the reduction in oxygen which generally reduces the athlete's performance at high altitude. They differ in that your source nowhere mentions the geoid, so it can't be using your definition of orthometric height. • The term altitude has the same definition as the elevation. Height in relation to a specified reference point, Learn how and when to remove this template message, local barometric pressure at mean sea level, Atmospheric pressure § Altitude variation, "Medical Problems in High Mountain Environments. A Handbook for Medical Officers", International Civil Aviation Organization, "Association of Elevation, Urbanization and Ambient Temperature with Obesity Prevalence in the United States", "Positive Association between Altitude and Suicide in 2584 U.S. [11] The actual lapse rate can vary by altitude and by location. [12], Medicine recognizes that altitudes above 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) start to affect humans,[13] and there is no record of humans living at extreme altitudes above 5,500–6,000 metres (18,000–19,700 ft) for more than two years. The fundamental theory behind altitude training is simple: by exposing an athlete to an environment that is low in oxygen (a mountain top or simulated altitude room) the body will eventually adapt to this stress by getting more efficient at transporting and using oxygen (stronger respiratory muscles, more red blood cells and so on). Atmospheric pressure decreases as altitude increases. This may be a separate, more general, question. Convection comes to equilibrium when a parcel of air at a given altitude has the same density as its surroundings. Decreased oxygen availability and decreased temperature make life at high altitude challenging. Pressure Altitude. As air rises and cools, it eventually becomes saturated and cannot hold its quantity of water vapor. For military applications where low temperatures are experienced in high altitude flight and for high temperatures in tropical regions, foam performance over a wide temperature range is important. There are several types of altitude in aviation: These types of altitude can be explained more simply as various ways of measuring the altitude: The Earth's atmosphere is divided into several altitude regions. ‘If cabin depressurization occurs at altitude and goes above this value, passengers in shirt sleeves will die shortly.’ ‘Kelly wants to develop the Astroliner, a winged rocket towed into the air by a 747 jet and released at altitude to soar on a suborbital trajectory under its own power.’ [10] The noun altitude refers to how high something rises: “The high altitude of the Himalayan mountain range slowed the progress of the hikers.” [9], However, when air is hot, it tends to expand, which lowers its density. Altitude definition, the height of anything above a given planetary reference plane, especially above sea level on earth. This celestial coordinate system divides the sky into two hemispheres: the upper hemisphere, where objects above the horizon are visible, and the lower hemisphere, where objects below the horizon cannot be seen, since the Earth obstructs views of them. [18], There is a significantly lower overall mortality rate for permanent residents at higher altitudes. In the United States and the UK aviation altitude is usually measured in feet. In geometry it is also used as the height of the object itself. However, people living at higher elevations have a statistically significant higher rate of suicide. Athletes also can take advantage of altitude acclimatization to increase their performance. These regions start and finish at varying heights depending on season and distance from the poles. [29] Birds thrive because of physiological features that are advantageous for high-altitude flight. It can take advantage of altitude elevation based on how high they are and your mood has elevation... 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