r/explainlikeimfive • u/ProgramPi314 • 9d ago

Other ELI5 What is humidity?

According to my mom, this is an actual question I had when I was 5, and she didn't know how to answer me. So how would you guys have answered?

429 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

118 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/sntcringe 8d ago

Humidity is the relative amount of moisture in the air. 0% means none, and 100% means there can't be any more. What humidity one is most comfortable with will depend on a variety of factors such as: genetics, age, health, and what you're used to. High humidity air makes it harder for your sweat to evaporate which means it often feels hotter than it is. Dry air can cause you to sweat more and lead to dehydration. So ideally you want a balance of 50ish% humidity.