What makes humidity rise

Meteorologists, on the other hand, use dew-point temperatures to measure the amount of moisture in the air. The dew-point temperature is the point at which the air becomes saturated with moisture, causing dew droplets to form. This is demonstrated by the dampness on the exterior of a cool drinking glass on a hot, humid day.

The dew-point temperature is determined when the atmosphere around the glass cools, allowing water droplets to condense on the outside of the glass. The same effect is happening when you see dew drops resting upon the grass on your lawn in the morning. So if humidity is the measure of water vapor in the air then it begs the question of what causes the water to turn to vapor anyway?

Since humidity is the measure of water vapor in the air then the question of how it increases is based on what most excites a molecule of water and we all know what does that: heat.

Heat energizes all molecules and water is no exception. As water heats up, it converts into water vapor, harmlessly floating into the air. You see this in action whenever you put a pot of water on a hot stove.

The water begins to bubble and boil and the steam rises above it. The rising steam from the pot is water vapor. Now when it comes to the world outside, the main source of heat comes from the sun.

This is the beginning of the water cycle—that most famous of science lessons taught back in elementary school. With bodies of water playing an important part in the creation of water vapor, it only makes sense that a place such as Florida, near the equator and full of water, would be massively humid. But other places in the south also are hot, and humid—including Georgia, Louisiana, and Alabama. All across the board wherever there is a body of water, from sea to shiny sea you can expect on some hot day for there to be a thick plume of humidity hanging low over the land.

Now that we know what causes humidity outside, what about inside? Why does it make some days feel hotter than usual, and some days colder? Can it really affect my health? When water evaporates, it rises and disperses into the surrounding air as the gaseous water vapor.

Humidity is the presence of water vapor in the atmosphere. The more water evaporates in a given area, the more water vapor rises into the air, and the higher the humidity of that area is. Hot places tend to be more humid than cool places because heat causes water to evaporate faster. It might sound like water evaporation is a bad thing. Liquid water is useful, plus, you know, essential for all life. Believe it or not, though, water evaporation and humidity serve a critical function of the natural world.

When liquid water evaporates into gaseous water vapor, it has completed one third of the all-important water cycle. As a result, there will be less opportunity for warm air to cool and cause condensation. In addition, avoid drying clothes indoors, if you suffer from high humidity. Hanging wet towels or other items on radiators is a common practice that creates humidity as the moisture evaporates, increasing the risk of humidity damage in the home.

Finally, by installing indoor air quality monitors you will be alerted to any potential problems, and have historical data, so you can see where persistent issues arise. Humidity sensors are an essential part of any air quality monitor, as they provide a detailed understanding of potential issues regarding moisture in your home. Avoid problems and optimize conditions with minimum fuss.

So if you already know that you have high humidity problems in your home, what can you do about it? Many of the prevention measures are also effective in dealing with existing issues.

Ventilation is key, and the simplest remedy is often to open windows. A more lasting solution could involve installing air conditioning, to get air circulating through your home, which will carry the moisture away. Alternatively, a dehumidifier draws moisture from the atmosphere, causing humidity to drop. Make sure that washing machines and tumble driers are plumbed in properly, and vented so that moisture escapes as it should.

How low should you let humidity get in your home? At lower humidity levels, the effects can include dry or itchy eyes, dry skin, and infections spreading more rapidly. Dry, low-humidity air also causes physical damage to the home. Wood contains a certain amount of water, in ideal conditions, and when it loses too much moisture in dry air it experiences shrinkage.

This can result in serious damage to flooring and furniture, or shifting window panes. Low humidity can also generate excess static electricity, which sometimes affects electrical equipment and computers.

To prevent low humidity in your home, you should find ways to add more moisture into the air. For example, you might want to leave a door open to let steam escape from the shower. Or you could choose to air-dry clothes indoors.

You could turn down the heat or boil a pot of tea on the stove. Dew point temperature is a good indicator of how comfortable or how uncomfortable you might feel, Sobel said. Humidity comes from water evaporating from lakes and oceans.

The highest dew point temperature ever recorded was 95 in July , in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. In the US, the midwest and Mississippi have recorded dew point temperatures above For example, Pipestone and St. James, Minnesota reported a humidity reading of 86 in Wind can carry moisture in the air pretty far. Scientists in this study confirmed what many city dwellers already know — people are better at detecting smells in a humid environment.

In heat and high humidity, there are more water molecules in the air to bind and carry odorous particles into our nose. Trash still smells in the winter, but the cold, dry air limits how far the stench can travel. This may also be what accounts for the dirty dog smell. As water molecules evaporate from soggy dog fur, they carry with them smelly bacteria.

Humidity brought us tonal language. Distribution of tonal languages red dots and non-tonal languages blue dots in the Phonotactics Database of the Australian National University. Darker shading on the map corresponds to lower average humidity. Photo by Everett C. PNAS Our vocal cords are comprised of a pair of mucus membranes that stretch across the voice box, or larynx.

They vibrate, controlling the air from the lungs that flows by as we speak or sing. The level of moisture in the air affects the elasticity of our vocal cords. Singers can tell you that it is harder to carry a tune in a dry environment. More recently, researchers theorized that speech was one of many human behaviors adapted to fit environment. After looking at more than 3, languages, they discovered that tonal languages, like Chinese and Vietnamese, rarely developed in dry climates.