A cloud that forms liquid droplets has a relative humidity of 100 percent with respect to the liquid droplets. If temperature is

Question

A cloud that forms liquid droplets has a relative humidity of 100 percent with respect to the liquid droplets. If temperature is <0°C and ice crystals form in this cloud, the relative humidity will be_________ with respect to the ice crystals.
A) 0 percent
B) 100 percent
C) less that 100 percent
D) more than 100 percent

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The relative humidity with respect to ice crystals will be more than 100 percent because the saturation vapor pressure over ice is lower than over liquid water at temperatures below 0°C. This means that air that is saturated with respect to liquid water (100% relative humidity) will be supersaturated with respect to ice, leading to a relative humidity greater than 100% in the presence of ice crystals.

A Cloud That Forms Liquid Droplets Has a Relative Humidity