Saturation occurs when air holds as much moisture as possible, resulting in a relative humidity of 100%. Temperature and pressure affect the amount of moisture air can hold, with warm air holding more. Saturation leads to dew and precipitation, and is measured by relative humidity and dew point. Rising warm air cools and becomes more saturated, leading to precipitation.
In meteorology, the term saturation refers to a condition in which the air holds as much moisture as possible in the form of water vapour. This corresponds to a relative humidity level of 100%. The amount of moisture in a saturated air mass can vary based on a number of factors, primarily temperature and pressure, as warm air can hold more moisture than cooler air. Dew and other forms of precipitation are the result of saturated air.
The condition or state of saturation has variables that define the amount of water vapor present in a given body of air. The ability of air to hold water vapor varies, especially with temperature, but is also affected by atmospheric pressure. While increasing temperature increases the amount of moisture the air can hold, an increase in pressure reduces this amount.
Saturation, therefore, refers to the state in which any body of air has reached its maximum capacity to hold dissolved moisture as water vapour. The saturation point is also known by a much more familiar term, the dew point, which refers to the temperature at which the air becomes saturated. When the air is in a saturated condition and the temperature drops or the atmospheric pressure increases, the air will not be able to hold the dissolved water vapor in suspension and some will be expelled as liquid water. This process is familiar to almost everyone as the formation of dew. As water molecules are pushed out of suspension, they adhere to surfaces and the molecular attraction causes them to collect together, forming the water droplets we know as dew.
Relative humidity is a term often used by meteorologists when discussing weather conditions and is directly related to saturation. A relative humidity of 100% is considered a saturated state, and air with a relative humidity of 100% is considered saturated. Meteorologists often include the current relative humidity and dew point to communicate how humid the air is.
Precipitation in the form of rain, snow and hail are also products of saturation. When a warm body of air that contains moisture rises, it cools and its ability to hold moisture is reduced. As the temperature decreases, the air becomes more saturated due to the correlation between temperature and the ability to hold moisture. Eventually, the air cools to the point where it becomes saturated and water is precipitated out of the air, becoming rain, snow, or some other form depending on the temperature.
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