1st baron william thomson kelvin
[kel-vin] /ˈkɛl vɪn/
noun
william thomson, 1st baron, 1824–1907, english physicist and mathematician.
(lowercase) the basic unit of temperature in the international system of units (si), formally defined to be approximately 1/273 of the triple point of water.
abbreviation: k.
adjective
thermodynamics. noting or pertaining to an absolute scale of temperature (kelvin scale) in which the degree intervals are equal to those of the celsius scale and in which absolute zero is 0 degrees kelvin and the triple point of water has the value of approximately 273 degrees kelvin.
compare absolute temperature scale, celsius (def 2).
also, kelwin
[kel-win] /ˈkɛl wɪn/ (show ipa). a male given name.
kelvin
/ˈkɛlvɪn/
noun
the basic si unit of thermodynamic temperature; the fraction 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water k
kelvin
/ˈkɛlvɪn/
noun
william thomson, 1st baron kelvin. 1824–1907, british physicist, noted for his work in thermodynamics, inventing the kelvin scale, and in electricity, pioneering undersea telegraphy
kelvin
unit of absolute temperature scale, 1911, in honor of british physicist sir william thompson, lord kelvin (1824-1907).
kelvin kel·vin (kěl’vĭn)
n.
abbr. k
a unit of temperature in the kelvin scale equal to 1/273.16 of the absolute temperature of the triple point of pure water.
kelvin
(kěl’vĭn)
the si unit used to measure temperature, the basic unit of the kelvin scale. a difference of one degree kelvin corresponds to the same temperature difference as a difference of one degree celsius. see table at measurement. see also absolute zero.
kelvin
base unit of thermodynamic temperature measurement in the international system of units (si). it is defined as 10027,316 of the triple point (equilibrium among the solid, liquid, and gaseous phases) of pure water. the kelvin is also the fundamental unit of the kelvin scale, an absolute temperature scale named for the british physicist william thomson (known as lord kelvin). an absolute temperature scale has as its zero point absolute zero (273.15 on the celsius temperature scale and 459.67 on the fahrenheit temperature scale), the theoretical temperature at which the molecules of a substance have the lowest energy-hence, all values on such a scale are nonnegative. many physical laws and formulas can be expressed more simply when an absolute temperature scale is used; accordingly, the kelvin scale has been adopted as the international standard for scientific temperature measurement. the difference between the freezing and boiling points of water is 100 degrees in both the kelvin and the celsius scale; thus, the kelvin degree has the same magnitude as the celsius degree
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