Temperature
There are three common temperature scale:
- Fahrenheit (°F)
- Celsius (°C)
- Kelvin (K)
Conversion from °C to °F
- Between the freezing point and boiling point of water, there are:
- 180 degrees on the Fahrenheit scale
- 100 degrees on the Celsius scale
A change of 180°F is equivalent to a change of 100°C OR
A change of 18°F is equivalent to a change of 10°C OR
A change of 9°F is equivalent to a change of 5°C OR
A change of 9/5°F is equivalent to a change of 1°C
- Between the Fahrenheit scale and the Celsius scale there is an offset of 32 degrees in the freezing point of water.
The conversion from °C to °F is
Conversion from °F to °C
Start with the conversion from °C to °F and solve for °C algebraically. Step 1 - Subtract 32 from both side of the equation.
Step 2 - Rewrite the simplified equation from step 1.
Step 3 - Multiply both side of the equation by 5/9.
Step 4 - Rewrite the simplified equation from step 3.
Kelvin
Of the three scales, the Kelvin scale is used in the SI system. This scale is based on the lowest theoretical temperature known as absolute zero. Lord William Kelvin proposed this scale such that a degree in the Celsius scale is the same size as a degree in the Kelvin scale. The conversion to the Kelvin scale from the Celsius scale is
Approximate temperatures:
- room temperature is approximately 298K (approximately 25°C)
- when helium gas becomes a liquid, it is approximately 4K (approximately -269°C)
- when nitrogen gas becomes a liquid, it is approximately 77K (approximately -196°C)
Content suitability
BCIT courses: CHEM 0011
