Re: [NTLK] OT humidity

From: Mark Ross (markr13_at_comcast.net)
Date: Sun Jun 30 2002 - 21:06:06 EDT


>
>somewhere near the temporal coordinates of 6/29/02 10:07 PM, the entity
>known as Mark Ross transmitted the following from markr13_at_comcast.net:
>
>> In the example of water (solute) in air (solvent), the amount maximum
>> amount of water that can be held at a given temperature and pressure is
>> called 100% relative humidity. It is not possible to hold more than that
>> as the air is saturated with water in this state.
>
>I think that if we want to be truly correct, air is not a solvent and water
>is not a solute. Humidity has to do with thermodynamics and phase changes
>and isn't really chemistry in the way that term is generally used.
>
>- Eric.

Why not? If water is in a gas state (dissolved) in air, it still obeys
the same PV=nRT gas law and will behave much like a solid dissolved in a
liquid whereby the solid is now solvated and is liquid-like in behavior.
Thermodynamics will play the same role for a liquid-solid solution or two
gases. The degree of interaction (thermodynamics) and the temperature
(kinetics) will determine what happens at a given P and T.

Mark Ross
markr13_at_comcast.net

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