What effect does increased temperature have on relative humidity?

Increased temperature has a significant effect on relative humidity, primarily leading to a decrease in relative humidity. Relative humidity is defined as the ratio of the current amount of water vapor in the air to the maximum amount of water vapor that air can hold at that specific temperature, expressed as a percentage.

As the temperature rises, the capacity of the air to hold moisture increases. This means that at higher temperatures, air can hold more water vapor before it reaches saturation. If the actual amount of water vapor in the air remains constant while the temperature increases, the relative humidity will decrease because the proportion of the actual vapor content to the newly increased maximum vapor capacity is reduced.

For instance, if the temperature of the air increases but the moisture content does not change, the relative humidity will fall because the warmer air can accommodate more moisture, effectively diluting the percentage of humidity. Understanding this concept is crucial for interpreting weather patterns, comfort levels in various conditions, and phenomena like dew point and condensation.