3.2. Unit Conversions, Error, and Uncertainty http://www.ck12.org
FIGURE 3.7
Displacement of water by irregular solid.scale is commonly used in most countries across the globe. TheKelvin scale, which is also referred to as the
absolute temperature scale, defines absolute zero as the lowest theoretically possible temperature, which means that
temperatures expressed in Kelvin cannot be negative numbers. We will further study the origins of this temperature
scale in the chapterStates of Matter.
Converting Temperature Scales
Regardless of the temperature scale used, it is important to be able to convert from one scale to another. Here are the
conversions we use.
°F to °C
T◦C= (T◦F− 32 )×^59
°C to °F
T◦F=^95 ×(T◦C)+ 32
°C to K
TK=T◦C+ 273. 15
K to °C
T◦C=TK− 273. 15
Example 3.19
The melting point of mercury is -38.84°C. Convert this value to degrees Fahrenheit and degrees Kelvin.
Answer