Which term describes a temperature-specific measure of the amount of moisture in the air?

Which term describes a temperature-specific measure of the amount of moisture in the air?

• A. Relative Humidity (RH)
• B. Humidity
• C. Dew Point
• D. Vapor Pressure

Answer: (A)

Relative humidity describes how much moisture is in the air compared to the maximum amount the air can hold at that specific temperature. The amount air can hold increases with temperature, so the same amount of moisture yields different values unless you’re looking at the percentage of saturation at the current temperature. Relative humidity is calculated as the actual vapor pressure divided by the saturation vapor pressure at that temperature, expressed as a percent, which is why it uniquely serves as a temperature-specific moisture indicator. The other terms describe moisture in broader or different ways: humidity is a general sense of moisture content, dew point is the temperature at which air would condense moisture, and vapor pressure is the actual pressure contribution from water vapor (not a percentage of saturation at the current temperature).

Relative humidity describes how much moisture is in the air compared to the maximum amount the air can hold at that specific temperature. The amount air can hold increases with temperature, so the same amount of moisture yields different values unless you’re looking at the percentage of saturation at the current temperature. Relative humidity is calculated as the actual vapor pressure divided by the saturation vapor pressure at that temperature, expressed as a percent, which is why it uniquely serves as a temperature-specific moisture indicator. The other terms describe moisture in broader or different ways: humidity is a general sense of moisture content, dew point is the temperature at which air would condense moisture, and vapor pressure is the actual pressure contribution from water vapor (not a percentage of saturation at the current temperature).