Why is the kelvin temperature scale useful?

Answer 1

Our conventional Celsius and Fahrenheit scales of temperature are related to things that we find in our own experience. Zero degrees Celsius is the temperature of freezing water; zero degrees Fahrenheit is the coldest temperature that Dr. Fahrenheit could achieve (in the 1700s) by mixing ice and salt together. The "100 degree" mark in Celsius is the boiling point of water, while 100 degrees Fahrenheit was normal body temperature. (He was a doctor, not a physicist; he got it wrong by 1.4 degrees.)

The Kelvin scale is referenced to "absolute" zero, the impossible temperature at which all molecular motion would stop. So with the Kelvin scale, you can measure any temperature and all your numbers will be positive. (Makes the math easier.)

The temperature of "absolute zero" is equal to -273 degrees Celsius, and the size of a degree is the same in the Kelvin and Celsius scales. So a nice day here on Earth would be around 300 degrees Kelvin.

Answer 2

The Kelvin scale is the only one in which the zero point is not set at some arbitrary level. The Kelvin zero is the temperature at which thermodynamic vibrations stop. Although the Celsius zero, as the melting point of ice may seem like a non-arbitrary point, it is, in fact the temperature at which ice melts under normal atmospheric pressure, not at any pressure.

Answer 3

It is the only scale in common use which starts at absolute zero. That means that twice the number on the Kelvin scale actually means twice the temperature. This is useful for things such as the ideal gas law.

Answer 4

The Kelvin temperature scale is useful because it is based on absolute zero, the point at which all molecular motion ceases. This makes Kelvin an ideal scale for scientific calculations as it has no negative values. It is commonly used in physics and chemistry due to its reliability and consistency.