Kelvin

Kelvin is a unit of measurement for temperature. It is one of the seven base units in the International System of Units (SI) and is named after the Scottish physicist William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin.

The Kelvin scale is an absolute temperature scale, starting at absolute zero, the point at which all thermal motion ceases. The Kelvin scale is used in many areas of science and engineering.

History

The Kelvin scale was first proposed by William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin in 1848. He suggested using an absolute temperature scale, based on the laws of thermodynamics. The Kelvin scale was officially adopted as the SI unit of temperature in 1967.

Definition

The Kelvin is defined as the fraction 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water. This definition means that one Kelvin is equivalent to one degree on the Celsius scale.

Usage

The Kelvin scale is widely used in scientific and engineering contexts. It is particularly useful in studies of thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics. In everyday use, temperatures are often given in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit, but the Kelvin scale is used when precision is important.

See also

• Celsius
• Fahrenheit
• Thermodynamics
• Statistical mechanics
• Quantum mechanics

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