Which term refers to the amount of moisture contained in air compared to the maximum it could hold at the same temperature?

The term that refers to the amount of moisture contained in air compared to the maximum it could hold at the same temperature is relative humidity. This concept is crucial for understanding weather conditions and how they affect comfort levels. Relative humidity is expressed as a percentage, indicating the current moisture levels in the air relative to the highest amount of moisture the air can hold at a specific temperature.

For instance, if the relative humidity is 50%, that means the air holds half of the moisture it could potentially hold at that temperature. This is significant because warmer air can hold more moisture, so a change in temperature affects relative humidity.

While dew point refers to the temperature at which air becomes saturated with moisture, absolute humidity measures the total mass of water vapor in the air regardless of temperature, and specific humidity expresses the mass of water vapor relative to the total mass of the air parcel. These terms are related but do not specifically compare the actual moisture content to its potential maximum at the same temperature, which is the essence of relative humidity.