Degree (temperature)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article does not cite any references or sources. (July 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
The term degree is used in several scales of temperature. The symbol ° is usually used, followed by the initial letter(s) of the unit, for example “°C” for degree(s) Celsius.
The most common scales of temperature are:
- Celsius (°C)
- Kelvin (K), which uses the Celsius scale, adjusted so that 0 kelvin is equal to absolute zero.
- Fahrenheit (°F)
- Rankine (°R or °Ra), which uses the Fahrenheit scale, adjusted so that 0 rankine is equal to absolute zero.
Other scales of temperature include:
The degree Kelvin (°K) is a former name for the SI unit of temperature on the thermodynamic (absolute) temperature scale. Since 1967 it has been known simply as the kelvin, with symbol K. Degree absolute (°A) is obsolete terminology, often referring specifically to the kelvin but sometimes the degree Rankine as well.