ATOC 1050 Lecture 4: Week 4
8 Feb 2019
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Document Summary
Vapor pressure and the number of water molecules in the atmosphere are positively correlated. Saturation vapor pressure is the pressure of motion of water vapor molecules. Temperature dependent; details the maximum amount of water vapor possible at saturation. Saturation - an atmospheric condition whereby the water vapor level is the maximum for that temperature or pressure. Condensation as occurring at saturation as water changes state from gaseous water vapor to liquid water, allowing for the formation of clouds. Saturation occurs when vapor pressure is equal to saturation vapor pressure (condensation is likely) However, it would not be saturated if the vapor pressure was less than the saturation vapor pressure (condensation is unlikely) Relative humidity - the ratio of actual water vapor content in the air to the amount of water vapor required for saturation. A reference point; not an exact measure, but a measure of how close water vapor levels are to saturation.
