Which of the following correctly explains why clothes dry faster on a windy day?

The Correct answer is Wind removes the water vapour from the clothes’ surroundings

Key Points

• Wind increases the rate of evaporation from the clothes by continuously removing the moist air surrounding them, which would otherwise slow down the evaporation process.
• The wind helps in reducing humidity around the clothes, enabling the water molecules to evaporate more easily into the drier surrounding air.
• When the moist air is constantly replaced by drier air, the evaporation rate increases, which leads to faster drying of the clothes.
• The overall temperature of the water molecules does not significantly change due to the wind, so option 1 is not correct.
• Humidity is affected by wind, but it is the removal of water vapour from the surroundings that plays a crucial role, not just an increase in humidity.

 Additional Information

• Wind and Evaporation
  • Wind speeds up the process of evaporation by carrying away the moist air and replacing it with drier air.
  • On days with less wind, the moist air around the clothes traps the moisture and slows down the evaporation process.
  • It is the movement of air that aids in this process, leading to quicker drying times.
• Evaporation Process
  • Evaporation is the process by which molecules at the surface of a liquid absorb enough energy to change into a gas.
  • Factors affecting evaporation include temperature, humidity, air movement, and surface area.
  • Wind plays an important role in removing the moisture-laden air, allowing more water molecules to evaporate faster.