Room temperature is about 20 degrees Celsius. Explain how you could convert this temperature to Kelvin. Use evidence from the figure to support your answer.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
To convert a temperature from degrees Celsius (°C) to Kelvin (K), you can use the following formula:
[
K = °C + 273.15
]
In your case, with a room temperature of approximately 20°C, the conversion to Kelvin would be:
[
K = 20 + 273.15 = 293.15 K
]
Explanation
The Kelvin scale is an absolute temperature scale widely used in scientific contexts because it starts at absolute zero, the point at which all molecular motion ceases. The Kelvin scale does not use degrees; instead, temperatures are expressed in kelvins (K).
The relationship between Celsius and Kelvin is linear, which means that a change of one degree Celsius corresponds to a change of one kelvin. This relationship stems from the fact that the Kelvin scale is simply a shifted version of the Celsius scale. Specifically, 0°C is equivalent to 273.15 K.
In practical terms, converting Celsius to Kelvin is crucial in various scientific calculations, especially in fields like physics and chemistry, where temperatures are used in equations related to gas laws, thermodynamics, and other phenomena.
The addition of 273.15 reflects the difference in the starting points of the two scales. For instance, the freezing point of water is 0°C, which corresponds to 273.15 K, and the boiling point is 100°C, which is 373.15 K. This clear relationship allows scientists to accurately compare thermal properties across different systems and conditions without ambiguity.
If there were a figure accompanying this explanation, it could illustrate the temperature scales or provide visual context for the conversion process, enhancing understanding by showing how 20°C fits into the broader spectrum of temperature measurements.