Nate Core Practice Test

When considering environmental control, what is the relationship between temperature and relative humidity?

1. Lower temperature always results in higher humidity

2. Higher temperature can hold more moisture

3. Humidity is unaffected by temperature changes

4. Higher humidity prevents temperature fluctuations

The correct answer is: Higher temperature can hold more moisture

The relationship between temperature and relative humidity is fundamentally tied to the concept that warmer air can hold more moisture than cooler air. As temperature increases, the air's capacity to retain water vapor enhances, which means that higher temperatures correspond to a greater potential for humidity to increase, up to the saturation point. When air is warmed, its ability to hold additional water vapor increases, which can lead to higher relative humidity levels if moisture is available. This principle is crucial in many applications, such as HVAC systems, where maintaining a comfortable indoor environment requires a balance between temperature control and humidity management. The options that suggest lower temperature necessarily results in higher humidity, claim humidity is unaffected by temperature, or assert that higher humidity prevents temperature fluctuations do not accurately align with the established scientific understanding of thermodynamics and moisture in the atmosphere. In summary, the correct answer highlights the significant role temperature plays in determining the moisture capacity of the air, thereby clarifying the relationship between temperature and relative humidity.