ATMOSPHERIC
HUMIDITY AND
VAPOR PRESSURE
By Muzones, Paredo, Tuburan
WHAT IS HUMIDITY?
amount of water vapor in the air.
Why is Humidity Important?
- Weather Forecasting: Humidity is a crucial factor in weather
prediction. It influences cloud formation, precipitation, and
temperature.
- Climate Change: Changes in humidity patterns are linked to
climate change, affecting regional rainfall, drought frequency,
and the intensity of extreme weather events.
Why is Humidity Important?
- Human Comfort: Our perception of temperature is heavily
influenced by humidity. High humidity makes hot
temperatures feel even hotter (due to reduced
evaporative cooling), while low humidity can make cold
temperatures feel colder (increased heat loss).
- Agriculture: Humidity levels are critical for plant growth. Too
much or too little humidity can negatively impact crop yields.
- Industry: Certain industrial processes are highly sensitive to
humidity levels. Maintaining optimal humidity is essential
for preventing damage to equipment and materials.
Types of Humidity
- Absolute Humidity: The mass of water vapor per unit volume
of air. (g/m³).
- Specific Humidity: The mass of water vapor per unit mass of
air. (g/kg).
- Relative Humidity: The percentage of saturation—how much
water vapor the air holds relative to its maximum capacity at a
given temperature. (%).
- Mixing Ratio: The mass of water vapor per unit mass of dry air.
(g/kg).
Measuring Atmospheric Moisture: Different
Perspectives on Humidity
Absolute Humidity: This expresses the mass of water vapor
present in a given volume of air (typically grams per cubic
meter, g/m³). Think of it like the density of water vapor in the air.
- Specific Humidity: This is a more robust
measure, expressing the mass of water
vapor per unit mass of total air (grams
per kilogram, g/kg). This includes the
mass of the water vapor itself in the total
air mass.
Measuring Atmospheric Moisture: Different
Perspectives on Humidity
- Mixing Ratio: Similar to specific humidity, the mixing ratio
expresses the mass of water vapor per unit mass of dry air
(grams per kilogram, g/kg). This means it only considers the mass
of the air excluding the water vapor.
- Actual Vapor Pressure: This represents
the partial pressure exerted by water
vapor molecules within the total
atmospheric pressure. It's measured in
units of pressure .
CONCLUSION
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