What is dew point?

The dew point is defined as the temperature at which condensation begins. This is an important concept in HVAC and other fields related to humidity and temperature because it indicates the point at which the air can no longer hold all of its moisture in vapor form, leading to the formation of water droplets (condensation).

As the air cools and reaches the dew point, the water vapor it contains starts to condense into liquid water. This is critical for understanding how humidity can affect comfort levels in indoor environments and how to manage moisture in HVAC systems.

While concepts related to humidity and saturation are important, they differ from the specific definition of dew point. For example, the temperature at which humidity is highest does not necessarily indicate the formation of condensation, and the temperature at which air is saturated also does not explicitly denote the point of condensation initiation. Similarly, vapor pressure equilibrating with atmospheric pressure relates more to pressure dynamics rather than the phase change of water from vapor to liquid at a designated temperature.