How does adiabatic cooling affect the relative humidity (RH) of a parcel of air? Please define RH in your answer, and clearly explain which component of RH is affected by temperature.
How does adiabatic cooling affect the relative humidity (RH) of a parcel of air? Please define RH in your answer, and clearly explain which component of RH is affected by temperature.
The process of a parcel of air rising and expanding as a result of a reduction in pressure is known as adiabatic cooling. The air parcel works on the environment as it expands, which reduces the air parcel's internal energy and lowers its temperature.
The amount of water vapour in the air as opposed to how much water vapour the air might retain at a specific temperature and pressure is known as relative humidity (RH). RH is measured in percentage form, with a range of 0% (absolutely dry air) to 100%. (saturated air).
The quantity of water vapour in the air and the air temperature are the two key variables that influence RH. Warm air can have a higher relative humidity (RH) than cool air, even though the absolute amounts of water vapour in both air masses are equal. This is because the warmer the air, the more water vapour it can retain before being saturated.
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