Kelvin, Celsius, Fahrenheit: Temperature Scales Explained
Why do we have three different ways to measure temperature? A deep dive into thermodynamics.
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles. But how we describe that energy varies wildly.
Fahrenheit: The Human Scale
Fahrenheit was designed around human experience. 0°F was the coldest temperature Daniel Fahrenheit could create in his lab, and 100°F was meant to be body temperature (he missed slightly).
Celsius: The Water Scale
Celsius is based on the phase changes of water: 0 for freezing, 100 for boiling. It's simple, logical, and used by almost everyone.
Kelvin: The Absolute Scale
Scientists use Kelvin because it starts at Absolute Zero (-273.15°C), the point where all molecular motion stops. There are no negative numbers in Kelvin.
Contributing writer at MetricConv, covering measurement science, unit history, and practical conversion guides.