FREE ESSAY ON THREE TEMPERATURE SCALES

THREE TEMPERATURE SCALES

There are three temperature scales. Most people are familiar with either the Fahrenheit or
the Celsius scales, with temperatures measured in degrees Fahrenheit (? F) or degrees
Celsius (? C) respectively. On the Fahrenheit scale, water freezes at a temperature of
32? Fahrenheit and boils at 212? F. Absolute zero on this scale is not at 0? Fahrenheit,
but rather at -459? Fahrenheit. The Celsius scale sets the freezing point of water at 0?
Celsius and the boiling point at 100? Celsius. On the Celsius scale, absolute zero
corresponds to a temperature of -273? Celsius. 
Scientists - especially those who study what happens to things when they become very,
very cold - commonly use the Kelvin scale, with temperatures measured in Kelvin (K). This
scale uses the same temperature steps as the Celsius scale, but is shifted downward. On
this scale, water freezes at 273 K and boils at 373 K. Only on the Kelvin temperature
scale does absolute zero actually fall at 0 K.