Question

On a cold day during the winter when the relative humidity is ?=70%?=70%, your friend claims that the outside air feels very dry. On a hot day during the summer, the relative humidity is the same, but your friend complains that the air feels very humid. Assuming that your friend isn't just crazy, what explains these statements? Hint: Your discussion should involve relative humidity and the humidity ratio.

Answer 1

relative humidity can be defined as the ratio of mass of vapour to the mass of vapour under saturation condition.

ø = m_v / m_vs

during the summer as temperature increases the mass of vapour under saturation condition also increases. it is given that realtive humidity is same in both winter and summer but as the mass of vapour under saturation condition is more in summer, the mass of vapour present in the air also increases to have same relative humidity. therefore, even though the relative humidity is same, the mass of vapoure present in the air in summer is more which is the reason a person feels more humid in the summer.