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Objective 02/28/2012. Tell how dew point and humidity indicate the amount of water in the atmosphere. Intro. Benjamin Franklin posed this question for his students to figure out, can you?
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Objective 02/28/2012 Tell how dew point and humidity indicate the amount of water in the atmosphere. Intro • Benjamin Franklin posed this question for his students to figure out, can you? • Whence comes the Dew that stands on the Outside of a Tankard that has cold Water in it in the Summer Time?
Measuring Water Vapor in the Air • Humidity • Amount of water vapor in the air • Higher the temperature = greater amount of water air can hold • Forecasters describe humidity in two ways: • Absolute humidity • Relative humidity
Measuring Water Vapor in the Air • Absolute humidity • Measure of mass of water vapor in a volume of air • Example: • Absolute humidity of 2g/m³ = each cubic meter (m³) can hold 2grams of water vapor
Measuring Water Vapor in the Air • Relative humidity • A ratio of water vapor that is in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold at a certain temperature • Expressed as a percentage • Example: • Relative humidity is 50% = air is 50% full of water vapor
Measuring Water Vapor in the Air • Saturated • When air is completely full of water vapor • Relative humidity is 100%
Measuring Water Vapor in the Air • Factors Affecting Relative Humidity • Example: • Amount of water vapor • Temperature • More water vapor in air… • … higher the relative humidity • As temperature increases… • …relative humidity decreases
Measuring Water Vapor in the Air • Measuring Relative Humidity • Psychrometer • Consists of two thermometers • Wet-bulb thermometer • Dry-bulb thermometer • Difference in temperature readings indicate amount of water vapor in the air
Measuring Water Vapor in the Air • How a Wet-Bulb Thermometer Works • Wet-bulb thermometer covered with a damp cloth • If water evaporates quickly, relative humidity is low • If water evaporates slowly, relative humidity is high
Objective 03/22/11 Describe how relative humidity is affected by temperature and levels of water vapor. Outro How much humidity would a desert have? (high or low) Explain.