Answer:
To calculate the relative humidity from the dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures, we need to use a psychrometric chart or an online calculator. However, I can explain the basic concept and formula behind this calculation.
The wet-bulb temperature is the lowest temperature that can be achieved through evaporative cooling of a wet wick around the thermometer bulb. It represents the temperature that would be reached by evaporating water into the air until the air is saturated with water vapor. The difference between the dry-bulb temperature and the wet-bulb temperature, known as the wet-bulb depression, depends on the humidity of the air.
The relative humidity is the ratio of the actual amount of water vapor present in the air to the maximum amount of water vapor that could be present in the air at a given temperature. It is expressed as a percentage and can be calculated using the following formula:
RH = (e / es) x 100%
where RH is the relative humidity, e is the partial pressure of water vapor in the air, and es is the saturation vapor pressure at the same temperature.
The saturation vapor pressure is the maximum amount of water vapor that can exist in the air at a given temperature. It depends only on the temperature and can be found in psychrometric charts or calculated using empirical equations.
Given the dry-bulb temperature of 32°C and the wet-bulb temperature of 29°C, we can use the wet-bulb depression to estimate the relative humidity. A wet-bulb depression of 3°C indicates a relatively high humidity, since it means that the air is approaching saturation.
Assuming standard atmospheric pressure, we can use a psychrometric chart to estimate the saturation vapor pressure at 29°C, which is approximately 37.5 mmHg. We can also estimate the partial pressure of water vapor in the air by assuming that the air is nearly saturated at the wet-bulb temperature. This gives us a partial pressure of approximately 36.5 mmHg.
Substituting these values into the formula for relative humidity, we get:
RH = (36.5 / 37.5) x 100% = 97.3%
Therefore, the relative humidity is approximately 97.3%.