Which term describes the amount of water vapor present in the air?

The term that describes the amount of water vapor present in the air is humidity. Humidity reflects the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere and is a critical factor in weather and climate. It can be expressed in several ways, including absolute humidity, which measures the actual amount of water vapor in a volume of air, and relative humidity, which compares the current amount of water vapor to the maximum amount the air can hold at a given temperature.

Understanding humidity is essential for various applications, such as meteorology, agriculture, and even daily comfort levels, as it influences temperature perception and precipitation patterns. The other terms listed have distinct meanings: dew point refers to the temperature at which air becomes saturated with moisture, precipitation involves water falling from the atmosphere in forms such as rain or snow, and evaporation pertains to the process of water turning into vapor. Each of these concepts plays a role in the water cycle but does not specifically refer to the amount of water vapor currently in the air like humidity does.