How does temperature generally affect air pressure?

Higher temperatures generally lower air pressure due to the behavior of air molecules. When the temperature of the air increases, the energy of the air molecules also increases, causing them to move more rapidly and spread apart. As the molecules become more spaced out, the density of the air decreases, resulting in lower air pressure.

In a practical sense, warm air is lighter than cool air, leading to air masses rising when heated. As the warm air rises, it creates an area of lower pressure at the surface. This principle is key in meteorology; for instance, warm air rising can create clouds and potentially lead to precipitation.

Understanding this relationship is fundamental for predicting weather patterns and forming various meteorological phenomena.