Question

When using a psychrometer, the greater the difference between the dry and wet bulb temperatures, the ______ the relative humidity?

1) higher
2) lower
3) same
4) cannot be determined

Answer 1

The greater the difference between the dry and wet bulb temperatures when using a psychrometer, the lower the relative humidity.

Step-by-step explanation:

When using a psychrometer to measure relative humidity, the greater the difference between the dry and wet bulb temperatures, the lower the relative humidity. The dry bulb temperature represents the actual air temperature, while the wet bulb temperature represents the cooling effect of evaporation.

When the air is dry, more water evaporates from the wet bulb, causing a greater temperature drop. This leads to a larger difference between the dry and wet bulb temperatures and indicates a lower relative humidity.

On the other hand, when the air is saturated with moisture, less water evaporates from the wet bulb and there is a smaller temperature drop, resulting in a smaller difference between the dry and wet bulb temperatures and a higher relative humidity.