Why are mountains often snowcapped?
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Answer: Temperature drops with altitude
Wind blows snow upward — Wrong. Wind doesn't blow snow upward. Mountains have snow because temperature decreases with altitude—about 6.5°C per 1000m. High peaks stay below freezing.
Mountains attract cold air — Wrong. Mountains don't attract cold air. Snow caps form because temperature drops with altitude (lapse rate), keeping peaks below freezing even when valleys are warm.
Temperature drops with altitude ✓ — Correct! Atmospheric temperature decreases with altitude (about 6.5°C per 1000 meters). High mountain peaks are so cold that snow never melts, even in summer. The snow line varies by latitude—near equator it's ~5000m, at poles it's sea level. That's why tropical mountains like Kilimanjaro have snow!