▁position . ▁Similarly , ▁if ▁a ▁par cel ▁of ▁cold ▁mountain - top ▁air ▁were ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁trip ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁valley , ▁it ▁would ▁arrive ▁war mer ▁and ▁l ighter ▁than ▁the ▁valley ▁air , ▁and ▁would ▁float ▁back ▁up ▁the ▁mountain . ▁ ▁So ▁cool ▁air ▁lying ▁on ▁top ▁of ▁warm ▁air ▁can ▁be ▁stable , ▁as ▁long ▁as ▁the ▁temperature ▁decrease ▁with ▁height ▁is ▁less ▁than ▁the ▁ad i ab atic ▁lap se ▁rate ; ▁the ▁dynamically ▁important ▁quantity ▁is ▁not ▁the ▁temperature , ▁but ▁the ▁potential ▁temperature — the ▁temperature ▁the ▁air ▁would ▁have ▁if ▁it ▁were ▁brought ▁ad i ab atically ▁to ▁a ▁reference ▁pressure . ▁ ▁The ▁air ▁around ▁the ▁mountain ▁is ▁stable ▁because ▁the ▁air ▁at ▁the ▁top , ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁lower ▁pressure , ▁has ▁a ▁higher ▁potential ▁temperature ▁than ▁the ▁war mer ▁air ▁below . ▁ ▁Effect s ▁of ▁water ▁cond ens ation : ▁equivalent ▁potential ▁temperature ▁A ▁rising ▁par cel ▁of ▁air ▁containing ▁water ▁v apor , ▁if ▁it ▁r ises ▁far ▁enough , ▁reaches ▁its ▁lifted ▁cond ens ation ▁level : ▁it ▁becomes ▁s atur ated ▁with ▁water ▁v apor ▁( see ▁Cla us ius – Cla pe y ron ▁relation ). ▁ ▁If ▁the ▁par cel ▁of ▁air ▁continues ▁to ▁rise , ▁water ▁v apor ▁cond enses ▁and ▁releases ▁its ▁lat ent ▁heat ▁to ▁the ▁surrounding ▁air , ▁partially ▁offset ting ▁the ▁ad i ab atic ▁cool ing . ▁ ▁A ▁s atur ated ▁par cel ▁of ▁air ▁therefore ▁co