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Grade 12General Physics

How does density of air decreses with increase in humidity. Please explain in detail.

Profile image of Ritvik Gautam
15 Years agoGrade 12
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1 Answer

Profile image of Sudheesh Singanamalla
ApprovedApproved Tutor Answer15 Years ago

This occurs because the molecular mass of water (18 g/mol) is less than the molecular mass of dry air (around 29 g/mol). For any gas, at a given temperature and pressure, the number of molecules present is constant for a particular volume. So when water molecules (vapor) are added to a given volume of air, the dry air molecules must decrease by the same number, to keep the pressure or temperature from increasing. Hence the mass per unit volume of the gas (its density) decreases.