Moisture Content Calculator
Calculate water content in materials using wet basis, dry basis, and reverse calculations
Calculate Moisture Content
Choose calculation method based on available data
Weight of material before drying
Weight of material after drying
Moisture Content Results
Wet Basis Formula: MC = (Wet Weight - Dry Weight) / Wet Weight × 100%
Dry Basis Formula: MC = (Wet Weight - Dry Weight) / Dry Weight × 100%
Water Weight: 0.000 kg = 0.000 - 0.000 kg
Material Analysis
Example: Dried Chilies
Food Dehydration Example
Material: Fresh chilies for drying
Initial weight (wet): 2.5 kg
Final weight (dry): 1.3 kg
Purpose: Making chili powder
Calculation Steps
1. Water weight = Wet weight - Dry weight = 2.5 - 1.3 = 1.2 kg
2. Moisture content = (Water weight / Wet weight) × 100
3. Moisture content = (1.2 / 2.5) × 100 = 0.48 × 100 = 48%
4. Result: The chilies lost 48% of their weight as water
Typical Moisture Content
wood
Furniture grade wood
Typical: 8-12%
Critical: > 20%
food
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Typical: 10-80%
Critical: > 14%
soil
Agricultural soil
Typical: 10-50%
Critical: > 30%
concrete
Structural concrete
Typical: 3-8%
Critical: > 4%
grain
Storage grain
Typical: 12-14%
Critical: > 14%
paper
Print quality paper
Typical: 6-8%
Critical: > 9%
Key Formulas
Wet basis (standard)
Dry basis
Water weight
Solid content (%)
Understanding Moisture Content
What is Moisture Content?
Moisture content is the amount of water present in a substance, expressed as a percentage of the total weight. It represents the ratio of water weight to either the total wet weight (wet basis) or the dry weight (dry basis) of the material.
Wet vs Dry Basis
- •Wet Basis: Most common, uses total wet weight as denominator
- •Dry Basis: Uses dry weight as denominator, can exceed 100%
- •Conversion: Each basis type serves different industry needs
- •Standard: Wet basis is default for food and agriculture
Calculation Methods
Wet Basis:
MC = (Wwet - Wdry) / Wwet × 100%
Dry Basis:
MC = (Wwet - Wdry) / Wdry × 100%
- Wwet: Initial weight before drying
- Wdry: Final weight after complete drying
- Wwater: Weight of water removed (Wwet - Wdry)
- MC: Moisture content percentage
Note: Accurate moisture measurement requires complete drying at appropriate temperatures to avoid material degradation while removing all water.
Applications and Importance
Food Industry
- • Quality control and shelf life
- • Texture and taste optimization
- • Processing efficiency
- • Safety and preservation
Construction
- • Material strength assessment
- • Curing process monitoring
- • Durability evaluation
- • Code compliance verification
Agriculture
- • Harvest timing optimization
- • Storage condition management
- • Soil moisture monitoring
- • Irrigation planning