If you have an air sample with a dry bulb temperature of 80º F and an RH of 50%, what is its wet bulb temperature?

To determine the wet bulb temperature, first, understand that the wet bulb temperature is an indicator of the moisture content in the air and can be derived from the dry bulb temperature and relative humidity (RH). In this scenario, the dry bulb temperature is 80º F, and the RH is 50%.

At 50% RH and 80º F, the wet bulb temperature typically falls below the dry bulb temperature since it reflects the cooling effect of moisture evaporation. The wet bulb temperature indicates how cool the air can become when moisture is evaporated into it.

Using psychrometric charts or calculators designed for this purpose, it can be established that the wet bulb temperature corresponding to an 80º F dry bulb temperature and 50% RH is approximately 67º F. This value represents a balance where the air is not so dry as to bring the wet bulb temperature close to the dry bulb temperature, but not so humid as to raise it significantly.

This understanding of thermodynamic principles in relation to humidity and temperature interactions helps clarify why 67º F is the correct answer, as it accurately reflects the conditions presented in the problem.