Page 10 - FINAL DBS10012_HEAT TEMPERATURE 20102022 (2) (1)
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Hot and cold objects reaching thermal equilibrium
1.1 TEMPERATURE AND HEAT
Temperature, T
Temperature is a number that is related to the average kinetic energy of the molecules of a
substance. The number is measuring of hotness and coldness of a substance, body or
environment. Temperature is not an energy. The SI unit of temperature is Kelvin, K. Other units
usually used are Celcius, °C and Fahrenheit, °F. The relationship between these three units of
temperature is:
°C °F − 32 K − 273
= =
100 180 100
The symbol for temperature is T. The higher temperature of an object, the more thermal energy
the object possesses. Termometer is the practical device to measure temperature changes. In
everyday life for example, a hot water have a high temperature, while the ice have a low
temperature.
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