- Temperature is a measure of the motion
of the individual atoms and molecules in a gas, liquid, or solid.
- If an object has a high temperature
its constituents are moving around energetically.
- In a gas at high temperature the
individual gas molecules are moving about independently at
high speeds.
- In a solid at high temperature
the individual atoms of the solid are vibrating energetically
in place.
- The converse is true for a
"cold" object.
- In a gas at low temperature the
individual gas molecules are moving about sluggishly.
- There is an absolute zero
temperature at which the motions of atoms and molecules
practically stop.
- A thermometer can be calibrated in a
variety of arbitrary ways.
- The Farhenheit scale sets zero at
the freezing point of a salt-water mixture and 100 at body
temperature -- not very scientific.
- Absolute zero is -459 degrees in
this system.
- Room temperature is 70 degrees.
- The Celsius (or centigrade) scale
sets zero at the freezing point of pure water and 100 at the
boiling point of pure water -- a bit more scientific.
- Absolute zero is -273 degrees in
the Celsius system.
- Room temperature is 20 degrees
- The Kelvin scale sets zero at the
absolute zero of temperature and uses degrees that are the same
size as in the Celsius system.
- Absolute zero is 0 degrees in
the Kelvin system.
- Room temperature is 293 degrees
- Astronomers and Physicists widely
use the Kelvin temperature scale.
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