Question #9214d

1 Answer
Dec 27, 2017

Attracts water.

Explanation:

In meteorology we use the term "hygroscopic" to describe certain types of condensation nuclei.

During cloud/fog formation, water vapor needs something to condense around. Usually this is a piece of dirt or something that water vapor will condense on when the temperature drops. If the nuclei has an affinity for water vapor (it forms into liquid water) we called it a hygroscopic nuclei. If it has an affinity for ice crystals we call it a crystallization nuclei.

Outside of meteorology, a substance is hygroscopic if it has an affinity to absorb water from the air. Things like sugar and salt clump together when they absorb water from the air, are showing that they are hygroscopic.