Converting Fahrenheit to Kelvin

Converting Fahrenheit to Kelvin This example problem illustrates the method to convert Fahrenheit to Kelvin. Fahrenheit and Kelvin are two important temperature scales. The Fahrenheit scale is used primarily in the United States, while the Kelvin scale is used in some areas of science. Aside from homework questions, the most common times you might need to convert between Kelvin and Fahrenheit would be working with equipment using the different scales or when trying to plug a Fahrenheit value into a Kelvin-based formula. The zero point of the Kelvin scale is  absolute zero, which is the point at which its not possible to remove any additional heat. The zero point of the Fahrenheit scale is the lowest temperature Daniel Fahrenheit could attain in his lab (using a mixture of ice, salt, and water). Because the zero point of the Fahrenheit scale and degree size are both somewhat arbitrary, the Kelvin to Fahrenheit conversion requires a tiny bit of math. For many people, its easier to first convert Fahrenheit to Celsius  and then Celsius to Kelvin because these formulas are often memorized. Heres an example: Fahrenheit To Kelvin Conversion Problem A healthy person has a body temperature of 98.6  °F. What is this temperature in Kelvin?Solution: First, convert Fahrenheit to Celsius. The formula to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius isTC 5/9(TF - 32) Where TC is temperature in Celsius and TF is temperature in Fahrenheit.TC 5/9(98.6 - 32)TC 5/9(66.6)TC 37  °CNext, convert  °C to K:The formula to convert  °C to K is:TK TC 273orTK TC 273.15 Which formula you use depends on how many significant figures you are working with in the conversion problem. Its more accurate to say the difference between Kelvin and Celsius is 273.15, but most of the time, just using 273 is good enough.TK 37 273TK 310 K Answer:The temperature in Kelvin of a healthy person is 310 K. Fahrenheit To Kelvin Conversion Formula Of course, there is a formula you can use to convert directly from Fahrenheit to Kelvin: K 5/9 ( ° F - 32) 273 where K is temperature in Kelvin and F is temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. If you plug in body temperature in Fahrenheit, you can solve the conversion to Kelvin directly: K 5/9 (98.6 - 32) 273K 5/9 (66.6) 273K 37 273K 310 The other version of the Fahrenheit to Kelvin conversion formula is: K ( °F  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 32) à · 1.8 273.15 Here, dividing (Fahrenheit - 32) by 1.8 is the same as if you multiplied it by 5/9. You should use whichever formula makes you more comfortable, as they give the same result. No Degree in the Kelvin Scale When you are converting or reporting a temperature in the Kelvin scale, its important to remember this scale does not have a degree. You do use degrees in Celsius and Fahrenheit. The reason theres no degree in Kelvin is because its an absolute temperature scale.