Grp No.

___ Grp Name ____________________ Grp

members______________________________________________
PS2 Section ___ Date performed: _______________________ Date Submitted:
_______________________________

Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination

I. Prelaboratory Activity

1. What factors affect humidity in the atmosphere?

2. How is heat related to humidity?

3. What is 25°C in the Fahrenheit scale?

4. Why is the combination of heat and humidity dangerous?

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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination
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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination

II. Laboratory Activity

During an average day your body burns about 2,000 calories (when you are exercising heavily it burns a lot
more). That means you are burning 2 calories or so a minute during waking hours. Two calories have the ability to raise the
temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 2oC. If you weigh 50 kilograms (110 pounds), your body temperature rises 1/25th of a
degree Celsius every minute.
Your body needs a way to dump that excess heat. If it doesn't, then your body temperature rises into the danger
zone in a matter of half an hour. It is easy to dump excess heat simply through radiation (this is why air temperature "feels"
comfortable up to about 24 oC). Above 24oC your body does not have enough surface area to radiate the heat away fast
enough, so your body turns on your sweat glands to make evaporative cooling possible.
Evaporative cooling works great if the air is dry. In high humidity, however, sweat doesn't work very well - the
sweat cannot evaporate because the air is already saturated with humidity. In high temperature/high humidity environments
your body can get into a dangerous situation where it cannot radiate or evaporate the heat away. The heat index is
designed to make you aware of these dangerous situations.
The heat index takes the day's temperature and humidity into account and calculates what the temperature
would be if the air were at a certain humidity (e.g., 25% humidity - very dry). On this scale, high humidity can be
excruciatingly hot because your body has no way to eliminate excess heat. For example, 37.8 oC with 100% humidity is the
equivalent to 90.6oC - nearly the boiling point of water!

(Taken from: How Stuff Works, http://www.howstuffworks.com)

The objective of this experiment is to familiarize you with the concept of heat/temperature, humidity, and the heat index
which is the combined effect of these two parameters.

Activity A. Make your own thermometer 1

What You Need: Tap water, clear plastic drinking straw, rubbing alcohol, modeling clay, clear, narrow-necked glass
bottle (e.g. 12-oz coke bottle), food coloring

What to do:
1. Pour equal parts of tap water and rubbing alcohol into the bottle, filling about 1/8 to a 1/4 of the bottle.
2. Add a couple of drops of food coloring and mix.
3. Put the straw in the bottle, but don't let the straw touch the bottom.
4. Use the modeling clay to seal the neck of the bottle, so the straw stays in place.
5. Now hold your hands on the bottle and watch what happens to the mixture in the bottle.

2
Activity B. Wet Air: Measuring relative humidity

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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination
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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination

Humidity is a measure of the amount of water vapor in air. If air temperature is 20°C, each cubic meter of air can

contain up to 17 g of water vapor. If there is only 8.5 g of water vapor per cubic meter at 20°C, we say the relative humidity

is 50%. Humidity can have a strong influence on how comfortable we feel. Combinations of high temperature and high

humidity can be very uncomfortable. Physical activity and exposure to direct sunlight can also increase heat stress.

What you need: Two thermometers, cotton wool, rubber band

Safety: Handle thermometers carefully. Students shouldn’t try to clean up the mess if a thermometer breaks. Use a
mercury spill-kit or throw sulfur over the mercury and clean it up wearing gloves and using a brush and pan.
Don’t touch mercury; it is a poisonous metal.

What to do:
1. Wrap the cotton wool around the bulb of each thermometer. Secure it with a rubber band.
2. Dip one of the wrapped bulbs in water.
3. Gently fan the wet bulb thermometer until the temperature reaches a minimum.
4. Compare the reading of the wet-bulb thermometer and the dry-bulb thermometer.
5. Record the difference in the two readings.
6. Read the relative humidity from Table 1. The numbers on the side of the chart represent the dry bulb
temperature. The numbers at the top represent the difference between the dry and wet bulb temperature.
Measurements are in °C. The point at which the row and the column intersect is the percentage humidity in the
air. For example, if the dry bulb temperature is 20ºC, and the wet bulb temperature is lower by 5.5ºC, then the
humidity is 55%. Repeat the exercise in the air-conditioned room and outside the building (preferably in an open
area under the sun). Record your findings in Table 2.

Activity C. Heat Index 3

Living in the tropics, we realize that warm, dry air seems more comfortable than warm, very moist air (unless it is
too dry). An extremely humid, warm day makes one think the temperature is higher than it really is, while an extremely hot,
dry day may seem to be cooler than the thermometer indicates.
One approach to describing the combined effects of temperature and humidity is the heat index. To alert the
public to the dangers of extended periods of exposure to heat and the added effects of humidity, the American National
Weather Service has developed a "Heat Index" table. Figure 1 shows a graphic representation of this table.

What to do:
1. Convert the dry bulb temperature readings in the previous activity (corresponding to the three locations) in oF.

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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination
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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination

Table 1. Relative humidity of the air based on the bulb temperatures.

Temperature difference between the wet bulb and the dry bulb (°C)
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0
40 97 94 91 88 85 82 80 77 74 72 69 67 64 62 60 57 55 53 51 48
39 97 94 91 88 85 82 79 77 74 71 69 66 64 61 59 57 54 52 50 48
38 97 94 91 88 85 82 79 76 74 71 68 66 63 61 58 56 54 51 49 47
37 97 94 91 87 85 82 79 76 73 70 68 65 63 60 58 55 53 51 48 46
36 97 94 90 87 84 81 78 76 73 70 67 65 62 60 57 55 52 50 48 45
35 97 93 90 87 84 81 78 75 72 70 67 64 61 59 56 54 51 49 47 44
34 97 93 90 86 84 81 78 75 72 69 66 64 61 58 56 53 51 48 46 44
33 97 93 90 86 83 80 77 74 71 69 66 63 60 58 55 52 50 47 45 43
32 97 93 90 86 83 80 77 74 71 68 65 62 60 57 54 52 49 46 44 42
31 96 93 90 86 83 80 77 73 70 67 64 62 59 56 53 51 48 45 43 41
30 96 93 89 86 83 79 76 73 70 67 64 61 58 55 52 50 47 44 42 39
29 96 93 89 86 82 79 76 72 69 66 63 60 57 54 52 49 46 43 41 38
28 96 93 89 85 82 79 75 72 69 65 62 59 56 53 51 48 45 42 40 37
27 96 92 89 85 82 78 75 71 68 65 62 59 55 52 50 47 44 41 38 36
26 96 92 88 85 81 78 74 71 67 64 61 58 55 51 49 46 43 40 37 34
25 96 92 88 84 81 77 74 70 67 63 60 57 54 50 47 44 41 38 36 33
24 96 92 88 84 80 77 73 69 66 62 59 56 52 49 46 43 40 37 34 31
23 96 92 88 84 80 76 72 69 65 62 58 55 51 48 45 42 39 36 33 30
22 96 92 87 83 79 76 72 68 64 61 57 54 50 47 44 40 39 36 33 30
21 96 91 87 83 79 75 71 67 63 60 56 52 49 46 42 39 35 32 29 26
20 96 91 87 83 78 74 70 66 62 59 55 51 48 44 41 37 34 30 27 24
19 95 91 86 82 78 74 70 65 61 58 54 50 46 43 39 35 32 29 25 22
18 95 91 86 82 77 73 69 65 60 56 52 49 45 41 37 34 30 27 23 20
17 95 90 86 81 77 72 68 64 59 55 51 47 43 39 35 32 28 24 21 17
16 95 90 85 81 76 71 67 62 58 54 50 46 41 37 34 30 26 22 18 15
15 95 90 85 80 75 71 66 61 57 52 48 44 40 36 31 27 24 20 16 12
14 95 90 84 79 74 70 65 60 56 51 47 42 38 33 29 25 21 17 14 9
13 95 89 84 79 74 69 64 59 54 49 45 30 36 31 27 23 18 14 10 6
12 94 89 83 78 73 68 63 57 53 48 43 38 34 29 24 20 16 11 7 3
11 94 88 83 77 72 66 61 56 51 46 41 36 31 26 22 17 13 8 4
10 94 88 82 77 71 65 60 54 49 44 39 34 29 24 19 14 9 5

2. To determine the heat index, find the temperature (in oF) along the y-axis and the relative humidity (from the
preceding activity) on the upper x-axis. Where the two intersect is the apparent temperature or the heat index in oF.
3. Convert this value to oC. Record your findings in Table 3.
4. The following table below shows the possible heat disorder especially for old people who are more vulnerable to the ill
effects of extreme temperature conditions.

Heat Index ( oC) Possible heat disorders for people in higher risk groups
26.67 to 32.22 Fatigue possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity.
Sunstroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion are possible with prolonged exposure
32.22 to 40.56
and/or physical activity.
Sunstroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion are likely, and heatstroke is possible, with
40.56 to 54.44
prolonged exposure and/or physical activity.
54.44 and higher Heatstroke or sunstroke is highly likely with continued exposure.

96 PS2 Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory Experiment

Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination
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members______________________________________________
PS2 Section ___ Date performed: _______________________ Date Submitted:
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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination

Figure 1. Heat Index Graph taken from The Weather Channel

(http://www.weather.com/breaking_weather/encyclopedia/charts/
heat_index.html)

References:
1
Energy Quest Web Site, http://www.energy.ca.gov/education/.
2
Weather and Air Activities Booklet, Cooperative Research Centre for Southern Hemisphere Meteorology, 1998.
3
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Education Web Site, http://www.education.noaa.gov/.

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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination
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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination

DATA SHEET
1
Activity A. Make your own thermometer
Q 1: Explain your observation in procedure no. 5 above.
As you hold the bottle with your hands, the mixture in the bottle starts to rise inside the straw.
Q 2: What is the purpose of adding alcohol to the mixture? Will the experiment work if only tap water is used?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
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2
Activity B. Wet Air: Measuring relative humidity
Q 3: Complete Table 2.
Table 2. Date for determining the relative humidity at different locations.

Location Dry Bulb Temperature Dry - Wet Bulb Temp Relative Humidity
( oC) ( oC) (%)
Air-conditioned room 28 18.5 40
Open area under the sun 30 21 44

Q 4: Why does the wet bulb thermometer register a lower temperature than the dry bulb thermometer?
The wet bulb thermometer is reading the temperature of the wet material around the bulb not the air temperature.
Since the cotton wrapped around the bulb is wet, evaporation occurs and the energetic molecules leave the liquid.
The reduction of the energetic molecules results into lower temperature of the wet bulb.
< "Why Does a Wet Bulb Thermometer Read Lower than a Dry?" WikiAnswers. Answers, n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.>

Q 5: Which has the lowest relative humidity among the three locations? Why? How does the air conditioner affect the
relative humidity in the room?
The air-conditioned room has the lowest relative humidity. It is because there is less moisture in the air. Cool air
cannot hold so much moisture because cooler air is denser compared to a warmer air. Being denser means having less
space for the moisture.

Q 6: Note from the table that for a given dry-bulb temperature, the relative humidity is higher when the temperature
difference between the wet bulb and the dry bulb is small. Why is this so?
____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination
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members______________________________________________
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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination

DATA SHEET
Activity C. Heat Index 3

Q 7: CompleteTable 3.

Table 3. Date for determining the heat index at different locations.

Location Temperature Relative Humidity Heat Index Heat Index

( oF) (%) ( oF) ( oC)
Air-conditioned 82.4 40 81.8 27.67
room
Open area under 86 44 86.3 30.17
the sun

Q 8: What are the possible heat disorders associated with the heat indices that you determined?
Fatigue possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity

Q 9: While in England, where the weather is normally dry, you notice that at 90 oF or 32.22oC you feel cooler than the
temperature that is recorded in the thermometer. Here in the Philippines, however, this temperature can be quite
uncomfortable already. Using Figure 1, explain why this is so.
It is because the relative humidity in England is lower since their weather is normally dry. The dryer the air, the
less moisture there is in the air.

Q 10: Within what range of values of relative humidity will 90 oF (32.22oC) feel cooler than it actually is (i.e, the apparent
temperature < actual temperature)?

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Heat and Humidity: A Deadly Combination