# Question #891a7

Sep 21, 2016

Temperature scales are entirely arbitrary. There is always a ratio of the amount of kinetic energy to raising the temperature scale one unit.

#### Explanation:

The Farenheit scale was based on the weather and climate of England. ${0}^{o} F$ was the coldest temperature known in London England. ${32}^{o} F$ was established as the freezing point of water, while the boiling point was ${212}^{o} F$. From freezing to boiling ${180}^{o} F$

The Centigrad or Celsius Scale makes more sense. The freezing point of water which is the same all over the world was chosen as the starting point or zero ${0}^{o} C$ Then the boiling point was set at ${100}^{o} C$ From freezing to boiling ${100}^{o} C$ so one degree is 1% of the temperature range of water.

The Kelvin scale makes even more sense. The zero in the Kelvin scale is absolute zero. This is the temperature where according to theory there is no kinetic energy left. The Volume of Helium gas is directly related to kinetic energy ( or heat) . A graph is made of the volume versus temperature ${C}^{o}$. The line is extrapolated backwards to the point at which the volume is zero. This temperature turns out to be $- {273}^{o} C$

$- {273}^{o} C$ = $0 K$ This is the value of absolute zero or the place where there is no temperature or kinetic energy.

$+ 273 K$ = ${0}^{o} C$ the freezing point of water.

All temperature scales are arbitrary but some make more sense than others.