Temperature can be a difficult property to define. In our everyday lives we use the word temperature to describe the hotness or coldness of an object. In physics, the temperature is the average kinetic energy of the moving particles in a substance.
Temperature is measured using a thermometer. There are different scales and standards for measuring temperature including Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin. These are discussed in more detail below.
How does a thermometer work?
Thermometers take advantage of a scientific property called thermal expansion. Most substances will expand and take up more volume as they get hotter. Liquid thermometers have some sort of substance (this used to be mercury, but today is generally alcohol) that is enclosed in a small glass tube.
As the temperature rises, the liquid expands and fills up more of the tube. When the temperature drops, the liquid contracts and takes up less of the tube. The temperature can then be read by the lines calibrated on the side of the tube.
Temperature Scales
There are three main temperature scales that are used today: Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin.
Celsius - The most common temperature scale in the world is Celsius. Celsius uses the unit "degrees" and is abbreviated as °C. The scale sets the freezing point of water at 0 °C and the boiling point of water at 100 °C.
Fahrenheit - The temperature scale most common in the United States is the Fahrenheit scale. Fahrenheit sets the freezing point of water at 32 °F and the boiling point at 212 °F.
Kelvin - The standard unit of temperature that is most used by scientists is Kelvin. Kelvin doesn't use the ° symbol like the other two scales. When writing a temperature in Kelvin you just use the letter K. Kelvin uses absolute zero as the 0 point of its scale. It has the same increments as Celsius in that there are 100 increments between the freezing and boiling points of water.
Converting Between Scales
Celsius and Fahrenheit
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8 °F = 1.8 * °C + 32°
Celsius and Kelvin
K = °C + 273.15 °C = K - 273.15°
Absolute Zero
Absolute zero is the coldest possible temperature that any substance can reach. It is equal to 0 Kelvin or -273.15 °C (-459.67°F).
Temperature and the State of Matter
Temperature has an effect on the state of matter. Each substance of matter will go through different phases as the temperature increases including solid, liquid, and gas. One example of this is water which changes from ice (solid) to water (liquid) to vapor (gas) as the temperature increases. You can learn more about this subject at our phases of matter page.
Interesting Facts about Temperature
Temperature is independent of the size or quantity of an object. This is called an intensive property.
The Fahrenheit scale is named after Dutch physicist Daniel Fahrenheit.
Temperature is a different quantity from the total amount of thermal energy in a substance, which is dependent on the size of the object.
Celsius was named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius. Celsius was originally known as "centigrade."
As substances approach absolute zero they can achieve some interesting properties such as superfluidity and superconductivity.
Temperature is the amount of heat in something. It's measured with a thermometer, a tube of a temperature-sensitive substance like mercury, by taking the average amount of kinetic energy in a substance's molecules. Kinetic energy is the energy created by how fast the molecules move in a solid, liquid, or gas.
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles of a substance. 2. The higher the temperature of an object, the higher is its kinetic energy. 3.
Although people have employed multiple temperature scales throughout history, today there remain only four basic scales. These are the Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin , and Rankine scales. The earliest of these is the Fahrenheit Scale invented by the German-Dutch scientist Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686-1736).
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in an object. When the temperature increases, the motion of these particles also increases. Temperature is measured with a thermometer or a calorimeter.
To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, we use the formula F = 1.8C + 32. To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, we use the formula C = (F - 32) / 1.8. To convert Kelvin to Celsius, we use the formula C = K - 273.15.
Temperature conversions use the following formulas: Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) = (Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) * 9/5) + 32. Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) = (Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) - 32) * 5/9.
Here are the temperature conversion formulas: Celsius to Kelvin: K = C + 273.15. Kelvin to Celcius: C = K - 273.15. Fahrenheit to Celcius: C = (F-32) (5/9) Celsius to Fahrenheit: F = C(9/5) + 32.
Extreme cold may be considered any temperature below freezing (32 degrees F). During an extreme cold event, your body must work extra hard to regulate a normal body temperature and that could lead to illness or death, especially with vulnerable populations.
Temperature is a physical quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making up a substance.
Heat refers to the amount of energy in an object, measuring the total kinetic and potential energy contained by the molecules in that object. Temperature refers to the intensity of heat, measuring the average kinetic energy of molecules in a substance.
Researchers investigated when the body starts exerting more energy to keep itself cool at high temperatures. They found that this upper-temperature limit lies between 40℃ (104F) and 50℃ (122F) when the human body stops functioning optimally.
You can use a thermometer to measure the temperature inside and outside the classroom, and talk about how the temperature changes throughout the day. You can also use ice cubes to teach them about freezing temperatures, and how they melt when it gets warmer.
Heat is the total energy of the motion of the molecules of a substance, whereas temperature refers to the measure of the average energy of the motions of the molecules in the substance.
A thermometer is an instrument that measures temperature. It can measure the temperature of a solid such as food, a liquid such as water, or a gas such as air. The three most common units of measurement for temperature are Celsius, Fahrenheit, and kelvin.
Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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