What happens to the stability of saturated air compared to dry air under conditional stability?

Under conditional stability, saturated air behaves differently from dry air primarily due to the effects of moisture content on buoyancy and lapse rates. Saturated air, which contains moisture, tends to become unstable more readily compared to dry air. This occurs because of the latent heat released during condensation, which warms the rising air parcel, reducing its density relative to the surrounding air. As a result, the saturated air can continue to rise and lead to turbulence and convective activity, making it unstable.

In contrast, dry air is less buoyant when it is raised because it cools at a rate governed by the dry adiabatic lapse rate. If the environmental lapse rate is less than this dry rate, the dry air will remain stable; it won't rise unless forced, as it will be denser than the surrounding air.

Therefore, under conditional stability, saturated air becomes unstable due to the moisture's impact on buoyancy and energy release, while dry air tends to remain stable under the same conditions.