Difference between Kelvin and Celsius scale with conversion formula and examples
What is the Kelvin Scale
When we discuss what is the meaning of kelvin or what is the kelvin temperature scale, we refer to it as the temperature scale which uses Kelvin or K for denoting the magnitude of temperature. It is the SI unit of temperature and is named after Sir William Thomson, an engineer and physicist.
What is Kelvin Based On
In 1848, William Thomson, later known as Lord Kelvin, had written a paper “On an Absolute Thermometric Scale”, for needing a scale where infinite cold, now known as absolute zero, could be defined as the scale’s null point, and used degree Celsius for every unit increase.
He found that the absolute zero value on air thermometers was -273 °C. This was regarded as the absolute value, which is known as the Kelvin temperature scale. The value -273 of the Kelvin scale is referred to as the negative reciprocal of 0.00366. This is known as the gas expansion coefficient per one degree Celsius which is relative to the ice level.
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What is Kelvin Used For
Let us discuss what is Kelvin temperature and what are its applications.
Kelvin temperature is used for measuring the temperature of the colours that are associated with the light sources. The colour temperature is dependent on the idea that the back body radiator emits light having temperature characteristics similar to the frequency distribution. These blackbodies appear reddish in colour below 4000 K temperature and bluish in colour above 7500 K. this concept of colour temperatures plays an essential role in image projection and photography in which the temperature of the colours equal to 5600 K is required for matching the emulsions of the daylight films.
In the field of astronomy, the position and the stellar classification of the stars in the Hertzsprung – Russell diagram depend partially on their surface temperatures, which is also called as the effective temperature. An example of this is that the photosphere of the Sun has 5778 K as its effective temperature.
Kelvin temperature scale is also useful in electronics for measuring how noisy a circuit is relative to its noise temperature, or the ultimate noise levels.
What is the Boiling Point of Water in Kelvin
The boiling point of water in Kelvin is 373 K.
What is the Freezing Point of Water in Kelvin
The freezing point of water in Kelvin is 273 K.
What is 1 Kelvin
Let us discuss what is the formula of Kelvin.
1K − 273.15 = -272.1°C
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Now that we know what does kelvin mean, let us discuss about what is the Celsius scale and what is the formula to convert Celsius to Kelvin.
What is the Celsius Scale
The Celsius temperature is also known as the Centigrade scale and it was developed depending on the boiling point and the freezing point of water. Celsius is also an SI derived temperature unit. The Celsius scale is the most preferred scale for measuring temperatures in our day to day lives.
Development of the Celsius Scale
In 1742, a Swedish astronomer and physicist Anders Celsius had developed a temperature scale, exactly opposite to the Celsius scale. According to this scale, the boiling point of water was 0 ℃ and the freezing point of water was 100 ℃. He also wrote a paper on the same in which he mentioned his observations from the experiments he conducted stating that the melting point of ice is unchanged even when there is variance in the pressure. He also calculated the variations in the boiling point of water with the changes in the atmospheric pressure.
From 1743, the Celsius temperature scale changed and the boiling of water was kept as 100 °C and the freezing point of water was kept as 0 °C at a pressure of 1 atm. This reversal of the Celsius temperature scale was proposed by Jean-Pierre Christin, a French physicist.
Conversion of Celsius to Kelvin
The formula to convert Celsius to Kelvin is given below.
0 degrees Celsius equals 273.15 Kelvins or 0°C + 273.15 = 273.15K
Hence, the formula is °C + 273.15 = K.
FAQs on Kelvin Scale and Celsius Scale in Chemistry
1. What is the Kelvin scale in chemistry?
The Kelvin scale is the SI unit of temperature used in chemistry, where 0 K represents absolute zero, the lowest possible temperature. It is an absolute temperature scale based on thermodynamic principles and is denoted by the symbol K (without the degree sign).
- 0 K = −273.15 °C (absolute zero)
- Used in gas laws like PV = nRT
- Temperature increases in Kelvin are equal in size to Celsius degrees
2. What is the Celsius scale?
The Celsius scale is a temperature scale where 0 °C is the freezing point of water and 100 °C is the boiling point of water at 1 atm pressure. It is commonly used in laboratories and everyday measurements.
- Freezing point of water = 0 °C
- Boiling point of water = 100 °C
- Symbol used: °C
3. What is the relationship between Kelvin and Celsius?
The relationship between Kelvin and Celsius is given by the formula K = °C + 273.15. This means that one Kelvin degree is equal in magnitude to one Celsius degree, but the starting points differ.
- 0 K = −273.15 °C
- 273.15 K = 0 °C
- Temperature interval: 1 K = 1 °C
4. How do you convert Celsius to Kelvin?
You convert Celsius to Kelvin using the formula K = °C + 273.15. Simply add 273.15 to the Celsius temperature.
- Step 1: Write the temperature in °C
- Step 2: Add 273.15
- Example: 25 °C + 273.15 = 298.15 K
5. How do you convert Kelvin to Celsius?
You convert Kelvin to Celsius using the formula °C = K − 273.15. Subtract 273.15 from the Kelvin temperature.
- Step 1: Write the temperature in K
- Step 2: Subtract 273.15
- Example: 300 K − 273.15 = 26.85 °C
6. Why is the Kelvin scale used in gas laws?
The Kelvin scale is used in gas laws because it is an absolute temperature scale that starts at absolute zero, ensuring proportional relationships between temperature and volume or pressure. Gas laws like Charles’s Law and the Ideal Gas Law (PV = nRT) require temperature in Kelvin.
- Charles’s Law: V ∝ T (at constant pressure)
- If °C were used, negative values would give incorrect results
- Kelvin maintains direct proportionality
7. What is absolute zero on the Kelvin and Celsius scales?
Absolute zero is 0 K, which equals −273.15 °C, and represents the lowest possible temperature. At this point, particles have minimum kinetic energy.
- No temperature exists below 0 K
- Molecular motion theoretically stops
- Important in thermodynamics and quantum chemistry
8. What is the difference between Kelvin scale and Celsius scale?
The main difference between the Kelvin scale and the Celsius scale is their zero point, with Kelvin starting at absolute zero and Celsius based on water’s freezing point.
- Zero point: 0 K = absolute zero; 0 °C = freezing point of water
- Symbol: K (no degree sign) vs °C
- Use: Kelvin in scientific calculations; Celsius in daily and lab use
- Relation: K = °C + 273.15
9. Can Kelvin temperature be negative?
No, Kelvin temperature cannot be negative because the scale starts at absolute zero (0 K). Since 0 K represents the lowest possible energy state, temperatures below this are not possible in classical thermodynamics.
- Lowest limit: 0 K
- Equivalent to −273.15 °C
- Used in thermodynamic equations requiring absolute temperature
10. Why is there no degree symbol (°) in Kelvin?
There is no degree symbol in Kelvin because Kelvin is the SI base unit of thermodynamic temperature, not a degree-based scale. Unlike Celsius (°C), Kelvin is written simply as K.
- Correct form: 300 K
- Incorrect form: 300 °K
- Named after Lord Kelvin
