Temperature scales definition

Converting between Celsius (°C) and Kelvin (K) temperature scales Converting between Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F) temperature scales Definition of density... 

The new international temperature scale, known as ITS-90, was adopted in September 1989. However, neither the definition of thermodynamic temperature nor the definition of the kelvin or the Celsius temperature scales has changed it is the way in which we are to realize these definitions that has changed. The changes concern the recommended thermometers to be used in different regions of the temperature scale and the list of secondary standard fixed points. The changes in temperature determined using ITS-90 from the previous IPTS-68 are always less than 0.4 K, and almost always less than 0.2 K, over the range 0-1300 K. 

The volume of a gas would theoretically be zero at a temperature of approximately -273°C or -460°F. Tliis temperature, wliich lias become known as absolute zero, is tlie basis for tlie definition of two absolute temperature scales, tlie Kelvin (K) and Rankine (°R) scales. The former is defined by shifting tlie Celsius scale by 273-Celsius degrees so that 0 K is equal to -273°C. Equation (4.2.3) shows tliis relation. 

The general temperature scale now in use is the Celsius scale, based nominally on the melting point of ice at 0°C and the hoiling point of water at atmospheric pressure at 100°C. (By strict definition, the triple point of ice is 0.01°C at a pressure of 6.1 mhar.) On the Celsius scale, absolute zero is -2 73.15°C. 

Temperature Scales A quantitative description of temperature requires the definition of a temperature scale. The two most commonly encountered in thermodynamics are the absolute or ideal gas (°A) scale and the thermodynamic or Kelvin (K) scale."... 

The second law of thermodynamics says that in a Carnot cycle Q/T = constant. This law allows for the definition of a temperature scale if we arbitrarily assign the value of a reference temperature. If we give the value T3 = 273.16K to the triple point (see Gibbs law, Section 8.2) of water, the temperature in kelvin units [K] can be expressed as ... 

In general, a thermometer is called primary if a theoretical reliable relation exists between a measured quantity (e.g. p in constant volume gas thermometer) and the temperature T. The realization and use of a primary thermometer are extremely difficult tasks reserved to metrological institutes. These difficulties have led to the definition of a practical temperature scale, mainly based on reference fixed points, which mimics, as well as possible, the thermodynamic temperature scale, but is easier to realize and disseminate. The main characteristics of a practical temperature scale are both a good reproducibility and a deviation from the thermodynamic temperature T which can be represented by a smooth function of T. In fact, if the deviation function is not smooth, the use of the practical scale would produce steps in the measured quantities as function of T, using the practical scale. The latter is based on ... 

Consultative Committee for Thermometry creation of a mise en pratique of die definition of the kelvin The Consultative Committee for Thermometry, considering that the ITS-90 and the PLTS-2000 are internationally accepted practical temperature scales defining temperatures T90 and T2qqq that are good approximations to thermodynamic temperature T... 

In 1968, an international agreement was reached about the definition of an official (practical) scale of temperature for T> 14 K. This temperature scale IPTS-68, corrected in 1975 [11], was defined by reference fixed points given by transitions of pure substances. To extend the low-temperature range of IPTS-68, the EPT 76 [12-13] gave nine reference temperatures defined by phase transition of pure substances in particular the superconductive transition (between 0.5 and 9K) of five pure metals was introduced. Moreover,... 

Taking up a 2005 recommendation of the Consultative Committee for Thermometry (CCT) [25], the Comite International des Poids et Mesures (CIPM) created a mise en practique of the definition of the kelvin containing clarifications and recommendations of the CCT concerning the realization of the definition of the kelvin and the implementation of practical temperature scales. 

Techniques for accurate and reproducible measurement of temperature and temperature differences are essential to all experimental studies of thermodynamic properties. Ideal gas thermometers give temperatures that correspond to the fundamental thermodynamic temperature scale. These, however, are not convenient in most applications and practical measurement of temperature is based on the definition of a temperature scale that describes the thermodynamic temperature as accurately as possible. The analytical equations describing the latest of the international temperature scales, the temperature scale of 1990 (ITS-90) [1, 2]... 

The ideal scale, as defined by (2.7a, b), also has an entirely different (and quite surprising ) theoretical basis, related to the maximum efficiency of machines and the second law of thermodynamics. This alternative definition of T(suggested by Kelvin) will be discussed in Section 4.5. However, we can recognize at this point that such a dual connection to fundamental thermodynamic principles of great universality gives (2.7a, b) a double-justification to be considered the true temperature scale. We henceforth adopt this definition of T throughout this book. 

In the development of the second law and the definition of the entropy function, we use the phenomenological approach as we did for the first law. First, the concept of reversible and irreversible processes is developed. The Carnot cycle is used as an example of a reversible heat engine, and the results obtained from the study of the Carnot cycle are generalized and shown to be the same for all reversible heat engines. The relations obtained permit the definition of a thermodynamic temperature scale. Finally, the entropy function is defined and its properties are discussed. 

All thermometers, regardless of fluid, read the same at zero and 100 if they are calibrated by the method described, but at other points the readings do not usually correspond, because fluids vary in their expansion characteristics. An arbitrary choice could be made, and for many purposes this would be entirely satisfactory. However, as will be shown, the temperature scale of the SI system, with its kelvin unit, symbol K, is based on the ideal gas as thermometric fluid. Since the definition of this scale depends on the properties of gases, detailed discussion of it is delayed until Chap. 3. We note, however, that this is an absolute scale, and depends on the concept of a lower limit of temperature. 

The zeroth law of thermodynamics involves some simple definition of thermodynamic equilibrium. Thermodynamic equilibrium leads to the large-scale definition of temperature, as opposed to the small-scale definition related to the kinetic energy of the molecules. The first law of thermodynamics relates the various forms of kinetic and potential energy in a system to the work which a system can perform and to the transfer of heat. This law is sometimes taken as the definition of internal energy, and introduces an additional state variable, enthalpy. 

The establishment of the International Temperature Scale has been accomplished largely with the aid of measurements made with the helium gas thermometer. The most precise gas thermometry method is the constant-volume method, in which a definite quantity of the gas is confined in a bulb of constant volume Eat the temperature T to be determined and the pressure p of the gas is measured. A problem is encountered however in measuring the pressure a way must be found to communicate between the bulb and the pressure gauge. This is usually accomplished by connecting the bulb to the room-temperature part of the system by a slender tube and allowing a portion of the gas to occupy a relatively small, constant dead-space volume at room temperature. Thus, it is important that the gas volume in the pressure manometer be as small as possible. 

The International Practical Temperature Scale of 1968 (IPTS-68) has been replaced by the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90). The ITS-90 scale is basically arbitraiy in its definition but is intended to approximate closely the thermodynamic temperature scale. It is based on assigned values of the temperatures of a number of defining fixed points and on interpolation formulas for standard instruments (practical thermometers) that have been cahbrated at those fixed points. The fixed points of ITS-90 are given in Table 1. 

It follows, therefore, that when gases approximate to ideal behavior, i.e., at very low pressures, the differences in their thermometric properties disappear. This fact presents the possibility of devising a temperature scale which shall be independent of the thermometric substance, the latter being a hypothetical ideal gas. Such a scale is the so-called absolute ideal gas scale, in which the (absolute) temperature is taken as direcUy proportional to the volume of a definite mass of an ideal gas at constant pressure or to the pressure at constant volume. For convenience, the magnitude of the degree on the absolute scale is usually taken to be the same as on the centigrade scale ( 2b), so that the absolute temperature T on the ideal gas scale is given by... 

It will be seen in Chapter VII ( 18k) that it is possible to develop an absolute temperature scale, also independent of the nature of the thermometric substance, based on the second law of thermodynamics. This is sometimes called the Kelvin scale, in honor of its originator. Lord Kelvin (William Thomson). Actually, the thermodynamic scale can be shown to be identical with the absolute ideal gas scale, as defined above hence, temperatures on the latter, as well as the former, scale are represented by the symbol K. The ice point is consequently 273.16 K. It may be noted, incidentally, that the thermodynamic derivation of the absolute temperature scale provides a more definite interpretation of the absolute zero, i.e., the lowest limit of temperature, than is possible by means of the ideal gas thermometer. ... 

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