Term: electrolytic hygrometer https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E01972 Definition: hygrometer using a hygroscopic substance (for example, diphosphorus pentaoxide, P2O5) which is transformed into an electrolyte (phosphoric acid, H3PO4) in contact with the moisture in the gas. The electrolyte (phosphoric acid) is electrolysed continuously and the electrolysis current is measured. At a constant flow of the gas to be analysed, the electrolysis current is a linear function of the water concentration. Related Terms: 1) hygrometer (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.H02914). Source: PAC, 1990, 62, 2167. 'Glossary of atmospheric chemistry terms (Recommendations 1990)' on page 2195 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199062112167) Citation: 'electrolytic hygrometer' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E01972 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.