Specimens should be maintained above 25 °C (77 °F) to facilitate drying.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not specified
• D. They should be kept below 25 °C

Answer: (D)

Heat speeds moisture removal. When a specimen is warmer, its moisture evaporates more quickly, so raising the temperature helps you reach a stable, dry mass faster. Keeping specimens above 25 °C reduces the chance that ambient humidity or slow evaporation from cooler surfaces will mask residual moisture. If the specimens were kept cooler than that, drying would take longer and moisture measurements could be less reliable. In asphalt testing, moisture-drying steps are designed to ensure complete drying, often using temperatures well above room temperature to ensure all moisture is removed without compromising the material. So maintaining above 25 °C effectively facilitates drying.