Which of the following best explains why a warmer atmosphere will have a higher humidity?
A. More heat is available for evaporation from the oceans.
B. The air is less dense, leaving room for evaporated molecules.
C. The air has less pressure over the oceans, allowing easier evaporation.
D. Higher-temperature air causes stronger winds to evaporate ocean water.
The answer is A. I understand this question in the basic sense that an increase in heat will causes water to change from liquid to gas, but the text's explanation is that "partial pressure of a liquid increases as its temperature increases." So it seems to be saying that the temperature increase causes an increase in partial pressure, which--causes the phase change? So would we be going upwards diagonally on the phase diagram or something? I assumed the temperature increase happens at a constant pressure. What does partial pressure have to do with phase change?
A. More heat is available for evaporation from the oceans.
B. The air is less dense, leaving room for evaporated molecules.
C. The air has less pressure over the oceans, allowing easier evaporation.
D. Higher-temperature air causes stronger winds to evaporate ocean water.
The answer is A. I understand this question in the basic sense that an increase in heat will causes water to change from liquid to gas, but the text's explanation is that "partial pressure of a liquid increases as its temperature increases." So it seems to be saying that the temperature increase causes an increase in partial pressure, which--causes the phase change? So would we be going upwards diagonally on the phase diagram or something? I assumed the temperature increase happens at a constant pressure. What does partial pressure have to do with phase change?
