The
wet-bulb temperature is the
temperature a parcel of air would have if it were cooled to saturation (100%
relative humidity) by the
evaporation of water into it, with the
latent heat being supplied by the parcel. A wet-bulb thermometer will indicate a temperature close to the true (thermodynamic) wet-bulb temperature. The wet-bulb temperature is the lowest temperature that can be reached under current
ambient conditions by the evaporation of water only. Wet-bulb temperature is largely determined by both actual air temperature (
dry-bulb temperature) and the amount of moisture in the air (
humidity). At 100%
relative humidity, the wet-bulb temperature equals the dry-bulb temperature.