• The amount of pressure that a gas exerts on its container is dependent on the temperature of the gas
  • This is because particles move with more energy as their temperature increases

   

• As the temperature of the gas decreases, the pressure on the container also decreases
• In 1848, Mathematician and Physicist, Lord Kelvin, recognised that there must be a temperature at which the particles in a gas exert no pressure
  • At this temperature they must?no longer be moving, and hence not colliding with their container

   

• This temperature is called?absolute zero?and is equal to -273 °C

At absolute zero, or -273 °C, particles will have no net movement. It is therefore not possible to have a lower temperature

• Absolute zero is defined as:

The temperature at which the molecules in a substance have zero kinetic energy?

• This means for a system at absolute zero, it is not possible to remove any more energy from it
• Even in space, the temperature is roughly 2.7 K above absolute zero

• The?Kelvin temperature scale?begins at absolute zero
  • 0 K is equal to -273 °C?
  • An increase of 1 K is the same change as an increase of 1 °C

   

• It is not possible to have a temperature lower than 0 K
• This means a temperature in Kelvin will?never?be a negative value

• To convert between temperatures?θ?in the Celsius scale, and T in the Kelvin scale, use the following conversion:

θ?/?^°C = T / K ? 273

T / K =?θ?/?^°C + 273

Conversion chart relating the temperature on the Kelvin and Celsius scales

• The divisions on both scales are equal. This means:

A change in a temperature of 1 K is equal to a change in temperature of 1 °C

Step 1:?Kelvin to Celsius equation

θ?/?^°C = T / K ? 273

Step 2:?Substitute in value of 300 K

300 K ? 273 =?27?^°C