Question

UUU or log fornung overnight? 6. A map of North America shows the average distribution of vapor pressure across the continent. Will the distrib-

Answer 1

6. Vapour pressure obviously depends on the percentage of water vapor in the air, it is also regulated by the temperature of the atmosphere or the earth's surface.

The temperature is one of the main causes of addition of water vapor to the air by evaporation from the surface at a higher temperature or reduction of vapor from air by condensation at a lower temperature. Increasing temperature increases the vapor holding capacity of the air. Thus increase or decrease in temperature may highly regulate the availability of vapor in the atmosphere at different times of a day or month or year, as well as high difference of temperature is also observed based on the position of the study locations in terms of latitudes or elevation or slope. Hence regional or general temperature conditions will cause great variation in the vapor pressure distribution across different parts of the North American Continent.

The temperature is also responsible for the increase of motion of molecules in gaseous form by supplied kinetic energy from heat energy to the molecules. In an increased temperature the movement of the vapor molecules would be increased due to a greater supply of kinetic energy, resulting in exerting higher pressure by the vapor in the atmosphere.

Hence along with the vapor pressure, the temperature will be an important factor for the distribution of vapor pressure.