In our everyday life, does the temperature or humidity have a greater effect on how fast things dry? Are there any theories/models that explain this quantitatively?
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1$\begingroup$ "Are there any theories/models that explain this quantitatively?" Of course there are. They live mostly in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, but they are complicated by the fact that many of the ill-specified "things" you probably care about have a lot of structure. Phase change physics is fun. Or at least if can be if you come properly equipped. $\endgroup$– dmckee --- ex-moderator kittenCommented Sep 7, 2013 at 18:30
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$\begingroup$ Fysics is phun; always! ;-) $\endgroup$– Pieter GeerkensCommented Sep 7, 2013 at 20:08
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It is just a mass transfer that is driven by the difference in vapor pressure of the liquid versus vapor pressure in the vapor phase.
If the relative humidity is 100% then you are not going to get any evaporation. Even at 100 °F.
But if the humidity is 0 you will get pretty good evaporation at 40 °F.
All that really matters is relative humidity. But as you increase temperature for the same absolute humidity the relative humidity goes down.
