Fun Facts about Temperature

We often say today’s temperature is 34 degree centigrade or 40 degree centigrade. But what do we mean by the terms temperature or centigrade?

What is temperature?

Temperature can be defined as an objective comparative measure of hot or cold (heat energy).

Units of temperature

Centigrade is the unit of measuring temperature. There are different scales and units which are used for measuring temperature. Among them the most common are Celsius or centigrade (°C), Fahrenheit (°F) and Kelvin (K). Kelvin is considered as the basic unit of temperature in the International System of Units (SI). Generally, Celsius scale is used widely in which 0°C and 100°C correspond the freezing and boiling points of water respectively at sea level. Temperature is measured by thermometer. In Fahrenheit scale, 32°F and 212°F correspond to the freezing and boiling points of water. This scale is mainly used in United States.

11 Interesting facts about temperature

1. In universe temperatures range from about 3,500,000,000 Kelvin (a supernova) to 3 Kelvin (space).
2. Sun is known to be a class G yellow star .The average surface temperature of Sun is 5,600 Kelvin.
3. Absolute zero is the coldest theoretical temperature. Reaching this temperature substance does not possess any heat energy. It has been defined as zero Kelvin (0 Kelvin) which is found to be equivalent to -273.16 degrees Celsius and -459.69 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. The temperature of a substance has been defined as a result of the speed at which its molecules move. The theory states that faster the molecules will move, higher the temperature of the substance will be.
5. A very notable fact is that Fahrenheit and Celsius are equal at -40 degrees.
6. Temperature affects physical properties of materials whether it is solid, liquid, gaseous or plasma: density; solubility; vapour pressure and electrical conductivity.
7. It affects rate and extent to which chemical reactions take place.
8. Temperature affects the amount as well as properties of thermal radiation which emits from the surface of an object.
9. 57.8 °C (136 °F) is the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth. It was recorded on September 13, 1922 in Al ‘Aziziyah located in Libya.
10. −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F) is the coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth. It was recorded at Vostok Station located in Antarctica on July 21, 1983.
11. Conduction (occurs in solid), convection (occurs in liquid) and radiation (takes place through space) are the three processes of transferring heat from a substance at a higher temperature to one at a lower temperature.