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Because water vapor is relatively light compared to O2 and N2, the mass of humid air is less per unit volume than of dry air. This makes humid air less dense and causes the buoyant force on it making it rise in dry air.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThis is true if both are at the same temperature or if the humid air is warmer. Water vapor has an Atomic Mass of 16 while diatomic oxygen has a mass of 32 and diatomic nitrogen has a mass of 28. Both O2 and N2 are major components of air.
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Is moist air heavier or lighter than dry air?
Moist air is heavier than dry air, because of the water.
Is the density of steam more or less than the density of water?
Humid air is lighter and less dense than dry air. Steam is water as a gas. Gaseous water is less dense than dry air.
Is the air in the room saturated or unsaturated?
If it is humid it is saturated. If it is dry it is unsaturated.
Is air heavy or light?
Generally, dry air is heavier than humid air because the water vapor is lighter than the nitrogen and oxygen that make up 99% of the atmosphere. Also, cold air is heavier than warm air. which is the basis for most of our weather. The reason cold air is heavier is due to the molecules being packed closer together.
Why does sound travel faster in humid air?
Sound will travel a little bit faster in humid air (about 0.1% to 0.6% faster) than it does in dry air. Follow along and we'll see why. Air is mostly nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrogen and oxygen travel around with "buddy" atoms - they are diatomic molecules - they are N2 and O2. Humid air contains water molecules, little H2O molecules. The H2O molecules are lighter than are the N2 and O2 molecules they will displace in air. And "lighter" gases carry sound faster than "heavier" gases. Helium will transmit sound faster than "regular air" will. (The rule of thumb is that low molecular weight gases transmit sound faster than higher molecular weight gases.) That's it in a nutshell. Wikipedia has an article on the speed of sound where this and other questions similar to it are answered. Read that article and you'll be 0.6% to 0.7% smarter. (Possibly.) You need a link, and because this is WikiAnswers, we got one for you.
What happens because water vapor molecules are lighter than nitrogen or oxygen molecules?
humid air is lighter that an equal volume of dry air at the same temperature.
How are dry air and humid air different?
Humid air has more water vapor mixed in it than dry air has.
Why are you most likely to get shock in dry air than humid air?
Because humid hair is still a bit wet and dry hair is dry. Electricity is attracted to water.
Why wet clothes dry up very slowly in a humid air?
Because in humid air, there is more water in the air.
Is moist air heavier or lighter than dry air?
Moist air is heavier than dry air, because of the water.
Does humidity increase atmospheric pressure?
No, the more water vapor the air contains, the lighter it is. When water vapor enters the atmosphere, it pushes out an equal volume of dry air. A cubic meter of dry air is 99 percent nitrogen and oxygen. A cubic meter of humid air with 2 percent water vapor is only 97 percent nitrogen and oxygen. Water vapor is lighter than the nitrogen and oxygen it pushed out. Therefore, humid air weighs less than dry air and exerts less pressure.
Why is moist air associated with low air pressure?
Warm, moist, humid, air associated with a low pressure system is actually lighter than dry air - owing to the fact that hydrogen molecules in water vapor (H20) are lighter than Oxygen or Nitrogen molecules. This moist air rises - causing air pressure to be relatively low compared to surrounding air.
Is the density of steam more or less than the density of water?
Humid air is lighter and less dense than dry air. Steam is water as a gas. Gaseous water is less dense than dry air.
What is the difference between dry air and wet air?
the answer is atmosphere and trosphere
Which is normally more dense dry air or humid air?
Humid air is more dense.
Why is dry air heavier than wet air?
The 'wetness' in the air creates a more dense 'air particle' which creates humid areas and such.
Is a maritime tropical air mass warm and humid or dry?
dry
