What happens to temperature as altitude increases in the stratosphere?

In the stratosphere, temperature increases with altitude due to the absorption of ultraviolet (UV) radiation by the ozone layer, which is located within this atmospheric layer. The stratosphere extends from about 10 to 50 kilometers above the Earth's surface and characterized by this temperature increase is a phenomenon known as temperature inversion.

As altitude ascends in the stratosphere, ozone absorbs UV radiation from the Sun, leading to the warming of the stratospheric air. This process prevents cooler air at higher altitudes from mixing with the warmer air below, creating a stable atmospheric condition.

The other potential answers are not applicable here. Temperature does not decrease with altitude in the stratosphere, which aligns more with the trend observed in the troposphere below. It does not remain constant since there is a definitive increase. Fluctuations in temperature are not characteristic of the stratospheric profile, which is typically stable and warming. Thus, the correct understanding of temperature dynamics in the stratosphere confirms that temperature increases with altitude due to ozone absorption of solar radiation.