Kelvin vs Fahrenheit

Kelvin and Fahrenheit are two units of temperature measurement. Both Kelvin and Fahrenheit are very important unit systems when it comes to fields such as physics, thermodynamics, engineering and astronomy. Both these unit systems are well defined, and have their own similarities and differences. In this article, we are going to discuss in depth the definitions of Kelvin and Fahrenheit, their significance, applications, similarities, and differences.

Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit is one of the oldest temperature measuring units still being used. Fahrenheit is often considered as a non-official unit, but still it is the official temperature measurement unit in United States and Belize. But, as most of the old records are in Fahrenheit it is still used in fields such as meteorology and geology. The Fahrenheit system was first proposed by the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit. The unit system was first proposed using three temperature reference points. A mixture of ice, water and ammonium chloride was used as the reference point for 0 °F. A mixture of ice and water was used as the reference point for 32 °F. Normal body temperature or “blood heat” was taken as 96 °F. Later, the system was modified to different reference points. An ice and water mixture as 32 °F, and a steam water mix (i.e. boiling water) as 212 °F. A unit of Fahrenheit is equal to 1/180th of the difference between the boiling point of water and the melting point of water.

Kelvin

The unit Kelvin is named after the physicist William Thomson, 1st baron Kelvin, or more commonly known as Lord Kelvin. Kelvin is one of the seven base units in the SI units. Lord Kelvin proposed that there should be a unit system, where the unit size is as same as the Celsius and the zero of the unit system as the absolute zero. This system was later developed and named in honor of Lord Kelvin. Kelvin is an absolute thermometric scale, which means the amount of thermal heat present in a body is directly proportional to the temperature in Kelvin. The Kelvin uses the triple point, and the absolute zero as its defining points. Absolute zero is zero Kelvin, and the triple point of water is 273.16 K. In this case, it can be clearly seen that the Celsius and Kelvin are clearly similar in magnitude.

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