Coast Guard Exams
Question 1342Navigation General70% to pass

As the temperature of an air mass decreases, the _______________.

AI Explanation
The correct answer is D) relative humidity increases. As the temperature of an air mass decreases, the air's ability to hold moisture (absolute humidity) decreases. This causes the relative humidity to increase, as the same amount of water vapor is now a larger percentage of the air's maximum moisture-holding capacity at the lower temperature. The dew point, which is the temperature at which the air becomes saturated, also rises as the relative humidity increases. The other options are incorrect because: A) absolute humidity decreases, B) specific humidity (the ratio of water vapor to dry air) decreases, and C) the dew point rises, not falls, as the temperature drops.

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