Three Temperature Scales Essays - Temperature, Thermodynamics

Three Temperature Scales Essays - Temperature, Thermodynamics Three Temperature Scales There are three temperature scales. Most people are familiar with either the Fahrenheit or the Celsius scales, with temperatures measured in degrees Fahrenheit ( F) or degrees Celsius ( C) respectively. On the Fahrenheit scale, water freezes at a temperature of 32 Fahrenheit and boils at 212 F. Absolute zero on this scale is not at 0 Fahrenheit, but rather at -459 Fahrenheit. The Celsius scale sets the freezing point of water at 0 Celsius and the boiling point at 100 Celsius. On the Celsius scale, absolute zero corresponds to a temperature of -273 Celsius. Scientists - especially those who study what happens to things when they become very, very cold - commonly use the Kelvin scale, with temperatures measured in Kelvin (K). This scale uses the same temperature steps as the Celsius scale, but is shifted downward. On this scale, water freezes at 273 K and boils at 373 K. Only on the Kelvin temperature scale does absolute zero actually fall at 0 K.