Why does cold air hold less moisture than warm air?

Answer 1

Beacause warm air has humidity!

I think that it is because when the air around you is cool that means that all the water molecules are expanding so they are not making any room for more water molecules to be in the room. Hot air they are all fast moving and going every where so there is more room for more water molecules to join in. I hope that was a better answer.

Answer 2

Cold air holds much less moisture than warm air, so often (but not always) the absolute humidity is less in cold air. Relative humidity is what is much more often reported, and this will not differ between cold and warm because it is relative to how much the air can hold.

Answer 3

It's not. I think what you're wondering is why the absolute moisture content of warm air tends to be higher than that of cold air. It actually has nothing to do with the rest of the air at all: the warmer water (or any liquid) gets, the more it tends to vaporize, so the moister will be any space in contact with it.

Answer 4

It's not that simple - it's based on both moisture levels and temperature of the air over a broad scale. Take the interior environment of a home. On a spring day, the outside air temp is 70 degrees. The inside air temp is 70 degrees. The moisture level of the inside and outside air will be almost the same, though it will likely be somewhat higher in the house, because of normal house usage (cooking, showers, etc.) But in the winter time, the outside air is 20 degrees, with 68% moisture - fairly normal. But that 20 degree air in the house expands as it comes to 70 degrees. But the amount of moisture doesn't change for the volume. So the 20 degree air at 68% humidity becomes 70 degree air at 29% humidity. That's why we need help form humidifiers in our homes in the winter.

Answer 5

Cold air can hold less moisture than warm air because the capacity of the air to hold water vapor depends on its temperature. When air is cold, the molecules are closer together and have less energy, which reduces the air's ability to hold water vapor. As the air warms up, the molecules move farther apart and have more energy, allowing them to hold more water vapor.

Answer 6

Cold air can hold less moisture than warm air because the capacity of the air to hold water vapor depends on its temperature. When air is cold, the molecules are closer together and have less energy, which reduces the air's ability to hold water vapor. As the air warms up, the molecules move farther apart and have more energy, allowing them to hold more water vapor.