Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: All of the above factors together
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Humidity describes the amount of water vapour present in the air and is an important element of weather. It affects comfort, rainfall patterns and even the performance of some instruments. The actual humidity at any place and time is influenced by several interconnected factors. This question asks you to recognise that weather, temperature and geographic location all play roles in determining humidity levels.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Humidity is not controlled by a single factor. Temperature strongly influences the saturation vapour pressure of water; warmer air can hold more water vapour before reaching saturation, so relative humidity changes with temperature. Weather patterns such as rain, storms and wind bring in moist or dry air masses and can increase or decrease humidity. Location matters because coastal regions with warm seas can have higher humidity compared with inland deserts or high mountain areas. Therefore, when asked which factors humidity depends upon, the correct answer is that all of the listed factors contribute in practice.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that temperature affects the maximum water vapour capacity of the air.Step 2: Understand that weather conditions such as rain, cloud cover and wind can add or remove moisture from the air locally.Step 3: Note that geographic location influences sources of moisture, such as oceans, lakes and vegetation.Step 4: See that coastal tropical locations usually have higher humidity than inland deserts, demonstrating the location effect.Step 5: Realise that none of these factors alone is sufficient to fully determine humidity.Step 6: Conclude that humidity depends on weather, temperature and location considered together.
Verification / Alternative check:
Weather reports often mention that humidity is higher on warm, cloudy days with onshore winds in coastal cities, and lower on cool, dry days with offshore winds. This shows that both weather patterns and temperature are important. Climate classification also recognises that tropical coastal zones, arid deserts and high altitude regions differ greatly in typical humidity levels, confirming the role of location. These observations support choosing all of the above as the correct answer.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Weather alone cannot explain humidity without considering temperature; for example, cool rainy weather may have lower absolute humidity than very hot clear weather, even if relative humidity is high. Temperature alone also fails to account for the availability of water vapour sources, which depends on location and weather. Location alone does not capture day to day changes caused by passing weather systems. Thus, no single factor is sufficient by itself.
Common Pitfalls:
Some learners focus only on temperature because many definitions of relative humidity mention temperature explicitly. Others may think only of coastal versus inland location without considering daily weather changes. To avoid such narrow views, remember that humidity is a combined result of temperature, the presence of moisture sources and the current weather conditions moving air masses around.
Final Answer:
The humidity of the air depends on weather conditions, temperature and geographic location taken together, so all of the above are relevant factors.
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