Dew Point

Water vapour saturation occurs when the air contains the maximum amount of water vapor it can hold at a given temperature and pressure. At this point, the relative humidity (RH) reaches 100%. Relative humidity (RH) is a measure of the amount of water vapor present in the air compared to the maximum amount of water vapor that the air can hold at a given temperature.

Relative humidity is defined by the formula: Relative Humidity (%)=(Saturation Vapor Pressure divided by Actual Vapor Pressure​)×100 Saturation Vapor Pressure is the pressure at which the air becomes saturated with water vapor at a specific temperature. RH is temperature-dependent; as temperature increases, the capacity of air to hold moisture also increases. Thus, even if the actual amount of water vapor remains the same, an increase in temperature can lower relative humidity. The dew point is the specific temperature at which air becomes saturated. If the temperature drops further, the water vapor will condense into liquid water, forming dew, fog, or clouds. Relative humidity reflects how close the air is to saturation. High relative humidity means the air is close to its dew point, while low relative humidity indicates there’s still room for more moisture.

Examples, water droplets form on the outside of a cold drink, on a warm day, that’s because the surface of the glass is colder than the dew point of the surrounding air and moisture from the air condenses on it. If the dew point is 60°F (15.6°C) and the air temperature falls below this, moisture will start to condense.

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