Bishop Cotton Boys’ School, Bengaluru
Std: IX
L14 - Humidity
Humidity:
The term humidity refers to the amount of water vapour present in the air at a
particular time and place.
Relative and Absolute Humidity:
Relative Humidity Absolute Humidity
1. Relative humidity is the ratio between 1. Absolute humidity is the
the actual amount of water vapour present in actual amount of water vapour
the air and the maximum amount of water present in a given volume of air
vapour the air can hold at that temperature. regardless of temperature.
2. It is expressed in percentage. 2. It is expressed as grams of
the actual amount of water moisture per cubic meter of air
Relative
= vapour present in the air X 100 (g/m3)
humidity The maximum amount of water
vapour the air can hold in that
temperature
3. Relative humidity of the air decreases with 3. Absolute humidity does not
increase in temperature, because the capacity change with increase or decrease
of the air to hold moisture increase with of temperature.
increase in temperature and vice versa.
When the relative humidity is 100%, the air is Saturated. The temperature at which
the air gets saturated is Dew Point. Air can be saturated in two ways:
Either by decrease in temperature
Or addition of water vapour
Evaporation:
The process by which the liquid state of water changes into water vapour
(gaseous state) it is referred to as evaporation.
Condensation:
The process by which the water vapour (gaseous state) in the air changes to
water (liquid or snow) it is referred to as condensation.
Forms of Condensation:
1) Clouds: The visible aggregation of minute water droplets or ice particles in
the atmosphere are known as clouds.
Eg: Cirrus, Cumulus, Stratus, Nimbus (rain bearing clouds)
2) Dew: The deposition of water droplets formed by the condensation on the
objects on the ground or cool surfaces like flowers, leaves, glass particles is
referred as dew. It normally occurs in winter when cold air holding moisture
come in contact with the surface objects.
3) Frost: Frozen droplets of dew is known as frost. It normally occurs in very
cold area. (Temperature should be below 00). It is harmful to crops.
4) Fog: The condensation of water vapour in the air on the dust particles floating
near the surface of the earth results in fog.
It is also formed when warm and moist air moves along the surface of colder
region, where the temperature is below dew point. It is a dense mist and the
visibility is upto 1km.
5) Mist: Less dense fog is termed as mist. The visibility is upto 2km.
Precipitation:
Precipitation is defined as water in liquid or solid forms falling on to the Earth.
Forms of Precipitation:
1) Rain: Rain is formed when large number of cloud droplets merge to form
bigger drops to remain suspended in the air.
2) Snow: The powdery mass of ice crystals or grains of ice formed when the
temperature is below freezing point.
3) Hail: The small round pellets of ice with frosted appearance associated with
thunderstorms.
Types of Rainfall:
1) Convectional Rainfall:
Convectional rainfall occurs due to the process of convection, when the
intense heating of the Earth’s surface and abundant supply of moisture
from the atmosphere take place.
This type of rainfall mainly occurs in Equatorial zone that experience
direct rays of the Sun almost throughout the year.
This rainfall is often known as 4’o clock rainfall. It is associated with
torrential rain accompanied with lightning and thunder.
2) Orographic Rainfall/Relief Rainfall: (Greek word ‘oros’ means
mountain)
This type of rainfall occurs when moisture laden wind is forced to rise
along the side of the mountain and cooled adiabatically.
Maximum precipitation occurs on windward side. The leeward side or rain
shadow region is relatively dry due to dry air and decrease in pressure.
Eg: Orographic rainfall occurs in the Windward side of the Western Ghats.
(Mountain regions)
3) Cyclonic or Frontal Rainfall:
Cyclonic rainfall occurs when a mass of warm air (warm front) meets the
mass of cold air (cool front).
The cyclonic rainfall are usually in the form of drizzle whereas the tropical
cyclones are very heavy.
Cyclonic rainfall mainly occurs near doldrums where the trade winds
meet.
Eg: Winter rainfall in the Northwest India. (It is also known as Western
disturbances or temperate cyclones).
Tropical cyclones are the disturbances in the Bay of Bengal.