Vaporization is the transition of matter from a solid or liquid phase into a gaseous (or vapor) phase.

Water boiling into steam is an example of vaporization. Sublimation is the more specific name for the vaporization directly from the solid phase to the gaseous phase.
Relative humidity is a measurement of the amount of water vapor in a mixture of air and water vapor. It is most commonly defined as the partial pressure of water vapor in the air-water mixture, given as a percentage of the saturated vapor pressure under those conditions. The relative humidity of air thus changes not only with respect to the absolute humidity (moisture content) but also temperature and pressure, upon which the saturated vapor pressure depends. Relative humidity is often used instead of absolute humidity in situations where the rate of water evaporation is important, as it takes into account the variation in saturated vapor pressure.

The relative humidity

of an air-water mixture is defined as the ratio of the partial pressure of at a

water vapor (H2O) in the mixture to the saturated vapor pressure of water prescribed temperature.

Relative humidity is normally expressed as a percentage and is calculated by using the following equation:[1]

The relative humidity of an air-water vapor mixture can be determined through the use of psychrometric charts if both the dry bulb temperature (T) and the wet bulb temperature (Tw) of the mixture are known. These quantities are readily estimated by using a sling psychrometer. There are several empirical correlations that can be used to estimate the saturated vapor pressure of water vapor as a function of temperature. The Antoine equation is among the least complex of these formulas, having only three parameters (A, B, and C). Other correlations, such as the those presented by Goff-Gratch and Magnus Tenten, are more complicated but yield better accuracy[citation needed]. The correlation presented by Buck [2] is commonly encountered in the literature and provides a reasonable balance between complexity and accuracy:

where T is the dry bulb temperature expressed in degrees Celsius (C), P is the absolute pressure expressed in hectopascals (hPa), and hectopascals (hPa). is the saturated vapor pressure expressed in

Buck has reported that the maximum relative error is less than 0.20% between -20C and +50C when this particular form of the generalized formula is used to estimate the saturated vapor pressure of water.

A common misconception

Often the notion of air holding water vapor is presented to describe the concept of relative humidity. This, however, is a misconception. Air is a mixture of gases (nitrogen, oxygen, argon, water vapor, and other gases) and as such the constituents of the mixture simply act as a transporter of water vapor but are not a holder of it. Humidity is wholly understood in terms of the physical properties of water and thus is unrelated to the concept of air holding water.[3][4] In fact, an air-less volume can contain water vapor and therefore the humidity of this volume can be readily determined. The misconception that air holds water is likely the result of the use of the word saturation, which is often misused in descriptions of relative humidity. In the present context the word saturation refers to the state of water vapor,[5] not the solubility of one material in another.

Significance of relative humidity

Climate control
Climate control refers to the control of temperature and relative humidity for human comfort, health and safety, and for the technical requirements of machines and processes, in buildings, vehicles and other enclosed spaces.

Comfort
Humans are sensitive to humid air because the human body uses evaporative cooling as the primary mechanism to regulate temperature. Under humid conditions, the rate at which perspiration evaporates on the skin is lower than it would be under arid conditions. Because humans perceive the rate of heat transfer from the body rather than temperature itself,[6] we feel warmer when the relative humidity is high than when it is low. For example, if the air temperature is 24 C (75 F) and the relative humidity is zero percent, then the air temperature feels like 21 C (69 F).[7] If the relative humidity is 100 percent at the same air temperature, then it feels like 27 C (80 F).[7] In other words, if the air is 24 C and contains saturated water vapor, then the human body cools itself at the same rate as it would if it were 27 C and dry.[7] The heat index and the humidex are indices that reflect the combined effect of temperature and humidity on the cooling effect of the atmosphere on the human body.

Buildings
When controlling the climate in buildings using HVAC systems the key is to control the relative humidity in a comfortable range - low enough to be comfortable but high enough to avoid problems associated with very dry air. When the temperature is high and the relative humidity is low, evaporation of water is rapid; soil dries, wet clothes hung on a line or rack dry quickly, and perspiration readily evaporates from the skin. Wooden furniture can shrink causing the paint that covers these surfaces to fracture. When the temperature is high and the relative humidity is high, evaporation of water is slow. When relative humidity approaches 100 percent, condensation can occur on surfaces, leading to problems with mold, corrosion, decay, and other moisture-related deterioration. Certain production and technical processes and treatments in factories, laboratories, hospitals and other facilities require specific relative humidity levels to be maintained using humidifiers, dehumidifiers and associated control systems.

Vehicles
Relative humidity which is also termed as humidity ratio is classified in three terms

1. on the basis of pressure (partial pressure of vapor in air / pressure of saturated air) 2. on the basis of mass (mass of vapour present in air / mass of dry air) 3. on the basis of density (density of the vapour present in air / density of dry air) All the three in a specific volume of the moist air at one temperature. The same basic principles as in buildings, above, apply. In addition there may be safety considerations. For instance high humidity inside a vehicle can lead to problems of condensation, such as misting of windshields and shorting of electrical components. In sealed vehicles and pressure vessels such as pressurised airliners, submersibles and spacecraft these considerations may be critical to safety, and complex environmental control systems including equipment to maintain pressure are needed. For example, airliner fuselages are susceptible to corrosion from humidity, and avionics are susceptible to condensation, and as the failure of either is potentially catastrophic, airliners operate with low internal relative humidity, often under 10%, especially on long flights. The low humidity is a consequence of drawing in the very cold air with a low absolute humidity, which is found at airliner cruising altitudes. Subsequent warming of this air lowers its relative humidity. This causes discomfort such as sore eyes, dry skin, and drying out of mucosa, but humidifiers are not employed to raise it to comfortable mid-range levels because dry air is essential to safe flight.

Aviation
Cold humid air can provoke the formation of ice, which is a danger to aircraft as it affects the wing profile and increases weight. Piston engines have a further danger of ice forming on the carburetor. Aviation weather reports (METAR's) therefore include an indication of relative humidity, usually in the form of the dew point.

Pressure dependence
The relative humidity of an air-water system is dependent not only on the temperature but also on the absolute pressure of the system of interest. This dependence is demonstrated by considering the air-water system shown below. The system is closed (i.e. no matter enters or leaves the system).

If the system at State A is isobarically heated (heating with no change in system pressure) then the relative humidity of the system decreases because the saturated vapor pressure of water increases with increasing temperature. This is shown in State B. If the system at State A is isothermally compressed (compressed with no change in system temperature) then the relative humidity of the system increases because the partial pressure of water in the system increases with increasing system pressure. This is shown in State C. Therefore a change in relative humidity can be explained by a change in system temperature, a change in the absolute pressure of the system, or change in both of these system properties.

[edit] Enhancement factor

The enhancement factor moist air

is defined as the ratio of the saturated vapor pressure of water in

to the saturated vapor pressure of pure water.

The enhancement factor is equal to unity for ideal gas systems. However, in real systems the interaction effects between gas molecules result in a small increase of the saturation vapor pressure of water in air relative to saturated vapor pressure of pure water vapor. Therefore, the enhancement factor is normally slightly greater than unity for real systems. The enhancement factor is commonly used to correct the saturated vapor pressure of water vapor when empirical relationships, such as those developed by Wexler, Goff, and Gratch, are used to estimate the properties of psychrometric systems. Buck has reported that, at sea level, the vapor pressure of water in saturated moist air amounts to an increase of approximately 0.5% over the saturated vapor pressure of pure water.[8]

Related concepts
The term relative humidity is reserved for systems of water vapor in air. The term relative saturation is used to describe the analogous property for systems consisting of a condensable phase other than water in a non-condensable phase other than air.[9]

Other important facts

A gas in this context is referred to as saturated when the vapor pressure of water in the air is at the equilibrium vapor pressure for water vapor at the temperature of the gas and water vapor mixture; liquid water (and ice, at the appropriate temperature) will fail to lose mass through evaporation when exposed to saturated air. It may also correspond to the possibility of dew or fog forming, within a space that lacks temperature differences among its portions, for instance in response to decreasing temperature. Fog consists of very minute droplets of liquid, primarily held aloft by isostatic motion (in other words, the droplets fall through the air at terminal velocity, but as they are very small, this terminal velocity is very small too, so it doesn't look to us like they are falling and they seem to be being held aloft). The statement that relative humidity (RH%) can never be above 100%, while a fairly good guide, is not absolutely accurate, without a more sophisticated definition of humidity than the one given here. An arguable exception is the Wilson cloud chamber which uses, in nuclear physics experiments, an extremely brief state of "supersaturation" to accomplish its function. For a given dewpoint and its corresponding absolute humidity, the relative humidity will change inversely, albeit nonlinearly, with the temperature. This is because the partial pressure of water increases with temperature the operative principle behind everything from hair dryers to dehumidifiers. Due to the increasing potential for a higher water vapor partial pressure at higher air temperatures, the water content of air at sea level can get as high as 3% by mass at 30 C (86 F)

compared to no more than about 0.5% by mass at 0 C (32 F). This explains the low levels (in the absence of measures to add moisture) of humidity in heated structures during winter, indicated by dry skin, itchy eyes, and persistence of static electric charges. Even with saturation (100% relative humidity) outdoors, heating of infiltrated outside air that comes indoors raises its moisture capacity, which lowers relative humidity and increases evaporation rates from moist surfaces indoors (including human bodies.) Similarly, during summer in humid climates a great deal of liquid water condenses from air cooled in air conditioners. Warmer air is cooled below its dewpoint and the excess water vapor condenses. This phenomenon is the same as that which causes water droplets to form on the outside of a cup containing an ice-cold drink. A useful rule of thumb is that the maximum absolute humidity doubles for every 20 F or 10 C increase in temperature. Thus, the relative humidity will drop by a factor of 2 for each 20 F or 10 C increase in temperature, assuming conservation of absolute moisture. For example, in the range of normal temperatures, air at 70 F or 20 C and 50% relative humidity will become saturated if cooled to 50F or 10 C, its dewpoint and 40 F or 5 C air at 80% relative humidity warmed to 70 F or 20 C will have a relative humidity of only 29% and feel dry. By comparison, a relative humidity between 40% and 60% is considered healthy and comfortable in comfort controlled environments (ASHRAE Standard 55 - see thermal comfort). Water vapor is a lighter gas than air at the same temperature, so humid air will tend to rise by natural convection. This is a mechanism behind thunderstorms and other weather phenomena. Relative humidity is often mentioned in weather forecasts and reports, as it is an indicator of the likelihood of precipitation, dew, or fog. In hot summer weather, it also increases the apparent temperature to humans (and other animals) by hindering the evaporation of perspiration from the skin as the relative humidity rises. This effect is calculated as the heat index or humidex. A device used to measure humidity is called a hygrometer, one used to regulate it is called a humidistat, or sometimes hygrostat. (These are analogous to a thermometer and thermostat for temperature, respectively.)

What is humidity?
Humidity is water vapor in the air (water in gaseous form). When you boil water, it is quickly converted into water vapor. When you set a saucer of water on your countertop, the water is slowly being converted into water vapor, and eventually disappears. Likewise, water vapor enters the atmosphere in similar manners. The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere is referred to as relative humidity (RH). If the RH reaches 100%, that means the air cannot hold any more water and some water condenses. Warmer air has a higher capacity for water; therefore, there is more water vapor in 80 degree air at 100% RH than 50 degree air at 100% RH. An example of this mechanism is dew. At night, when the air cools, it cannot hold as much water vapor. If the air started with enough water vapor, when it cools it might reach 100% RH (the dew point) and water will condense out (as dew on grass and other surfaces).

What natural mechanisms cause humidity to increase?

Water vapor is added to the atmosphere by two primary natural mechanisms: Transpiration - Plants take in water in their root systems and release it into the atmosphere through their leaves. Evaporation - Water is converted to vapor phase from the ground or a body of water and mixes with the atmosphere. Evaporation accounts for approximately 90% of water vapor, and transpiration accounts for 10% of water vapor.

Does the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere vary?

The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere can vary significantly by location. The diagram below illustrates this. The red regions have greater than 60 mm of water in a column of atmosphere, while the blue and purple regions have less than 25 mm.

Following are some of the reasons which explain the extremes in the diagram above, listed from most important to least important. Solar energy from the sun is the key driver for evaporation. By adding heat to a body of water, its temperature will increase and some water will evaporate. Because solar energy is more intense at the equator, there tends to be more water vapor in the atmosphere near the equator. It is of course necessary to have a body of water in order to have evaporation; this is why there is a lot of water

vapor over the oceans, but less over land. Movement of frontal systems from bodies of water is a key cause of high humidity over land. For example, air masses from the Gulf of Mexico can bring moist air to the southern and eastern United States. In fact, about 90% of the water vapor in all of the atmosphere comes from the oceans. Additionally, cold fronts typically bring dry air near the ground which can accelerate evaporation from the ground. Higher winds can move water vapor away from its source, causing the air immediately above the water to become drier, increasing the rate of evaporation.

What natural mechanisms cause humidity to decrease?

There are two mechanisms which cause water vapor to be removed from the atmosphere. Precipitation - Warm, humid air cools as it rises, and if it is humid enough, will reach 100% RH and condense to form clouds in the sky. If the air is humid enough, the water vapor concentration in the clouds will be high enough to form water droplets and fall back to the earth. Condensation - If the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere near the ground reaches 100% RH, fog will appear and water will condense out of the atmosphere onto surfaces as dew. Also, it should be noted that humid air can be transported away from a region and replaced by dry air, thereby decreasing the local humidity.

How does humidity affect temperature, evaporation, cloud formation, and precipitation?
Humidity can affect ground temperature by absorbing heat energy. A study conducted by Nessler et al. suggests that increasing local humidity in the lower troposphere (where combustion would release water vapor) from 30% - 100% caused a 0.3% reduction in albedo (reflectivity). As a result, the atmosphere absorbs more heat. This doesn't seem like a lot. This is because
1

Temperature

most of the effect of higher humidity near the ground is increased scattering, which doesn't affect the net absorption of heat. Therefore, the likely overall impact directly on temperature is small, regardless of how much water vapor is added to the atmosphere. However, see another very important possible temperature impact under "cloud formation", and see the effect of high altitude humidity on the Climate Change page. The rate of evaporation is dependent upon humidity. The lower the humidity, the drier the air above, and the faster the evaporation of water. If the humidity is very low, ground can get very dry because it is quickly evaporating any water that it contains. On the contrary, if the humidity is very high, evaporation is inhibited and the ground will stay wet. This could cause build-up of surface water, and more mosquitoes and other water-borne pests.

Evaporation

Clouds form when water nucleates on aerosols (tiny airborne particles). Assuming no change in the availability of aerosols, higher humidity could produce more water droplets and/or larger water droplets. This could result in an increase in the number of clouds. If low or mid altitude clouds are created, these typically block sunlight from reaching the ground and can cool the surface (decrease the temperature). If high altitude cirrus clouds are created, they can allow sunlight through but block infrared radiation reflected, and can warm the surface (increase the temperature). The overall consensus is that the net effect is global cooling due to the effects of reflection.

Cloud Formation

If enough water is contained in a cloud, the droplets will coalesce and become large enough to fall to the earth as precipitation. An increase in humidity can increase the probability that water droplets will get big enough to reach the earth as rain drops. Increased precipitation could act to increase the amount of water in the local area, causing wetter ground, higher lakes and streams, and even damage from flash flooding. Additionally, rain acts to cool the surface (decrease the temperature).

Precipitation

Evapo ration

Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum The Watershed Concept Evaporation is the process by which water is converted from its liquid form to its vapor form and thus transferred from land and water masses to the atmosphere. Evaporation from the oceans accounts for 80% of the water delivered as precipitation, with the balance occurring on land, inland waters and plant surfaces.

As shown in the accompanying interactive animation, the rate of evaporation depends upon: Wind speed: the higher the wind speed, the more evaporation Temperature: the higher the temperature, the more evaporation Humidity: the lower the humidity, the more evaporation Alt | Win