Ambient pressure, temperature, and relative humidity at a location are 101 kPa, 300 K, and 60%, respectively. The saturation pressure of water at 300 K is 3.6 kPa. The specific humidity of ambient air is _________ g/kg of dry air.
Correct Answer :
13.6
Solution :
The correct option is 13.6.
Analysis of the Given Data:
Based on the question details and the step-by-step solution shown in the provided image, we have the following parameters for the ambient air:
• Total ambient pressure (or barometric pressure),
• Dry-bulb temperature of the air,
• Relative humidity,
• Saturation pressure of water vapor at 300 K,
Step 1: Calculate the Partial Pressure of Water Vapor ()
The relative humidity () is defined as the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapor () to the saturation pressure of water vapor () at the same temperature:
Rearranging the formula to find the partial pressure of water vapor:
Substituting the given values:
Step 2: Calculate the Specific Humidity ()
Specific humidity (or humidity ratio, ) is the ratio of the mass of water vapor to the mass of dry air in a given volume. Using the ideal gas equation and molecular weights of water vapor (approx. 18 g/mol) and dry air (approx. 28.97 g/mol), specific humidity is calculated as:
Now substitute the values of total pressure P and partial vapor pressure :
Step 3: Convert the Specific Humidity to g/kg of Dry Air
To convert specific humidity from kg/kg to g/kg, multiply the value by 1000:
Thus, the specific humidity of the ambient air is 13.6 g/kg of dry air.
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