Relative humidity tends to increase when we do what to the temperature?

Prepare for the Building Performance Institute (BPI) Certification Exam. Utilize study materials like flashcards and multiple choice questions with explanations. Excel in your exam!

The correct answer is that relative humidity tends to increase when we lower the temperature. This phenomenon occurs because relative humidity is a measure of the amount of water vapor present in the air compared to the maximum amount that the air can hold at a given temperature.

As temperature decreases, the capacity of air to hold moisture also decreases. This means that if the actual moisture content in the air remains constant while the temperature drops, the relative humidity will increase. For example, during the cooling of air in the evening, you may notice that it feels more humid even if the actual amount of moisture in the air has not changed.

The other choices, such as raising, stabilizing, or maintaining the temperature, do not lead to an increase in relative humidity in the same way. Raising the temperature would typically lower relative humidity since warmer air can hold more moisture. Stabilizing or maintaining temperature would not necessarily impact relative humidity significantly unless there was an accompanying change in moisture content. By understanding this relationship, it becomes clear why lowering the temperature increases relative humidity.

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