Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Beginning Algebra With Applications, Chapter 1, 1.4, Section 1.4, Problem 76

Prepare a report on the Kelvin scale. Include in your report an explanation of how to convert between the Kelvin scale and the Celsius scale.

KELVIN SCALE

Kelvin is a temperature scale designed so that zero degrees K is defined as absolute zero (at absolute zero, a hypothetical temperature, all molecular movement stops - all actual temperatures are above absolute zero) and the size of one unit is the same as the size of one degree Celsius. Water freezes at 273.16K; water boils at 373.16K. $\displaystyle \left[ K = C + 273.16^{\circ}, F = \left( \frac{9}{5} \right) C + 32^{\circ} \right]$.
This temperature scale was designed by Lord Kelvin (William Thomson, 1824-1907). Kelvin was a British inventor and scientist (he was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1824). In addition to his work on temperature, Kelvin invented over 50 devices (including the mirror galvanometer, which detects and measures weak electric fields), discovered the second law of thermodynamics (the amount of usable energy in the universe is decreasing), and wrote hundreds of scientific papers.

To convert Kelvin scale to Celsius scale, we use the formula $C = K - 273.15$.

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