Explain the difference between the Celsius and Kelvin temperature scales.
Answer: Both scales use the freezing point and boiling point of water as reference temperatures.
The Celsius scale designates the freezing point of water as 0°C and the boiling point as 100°C. The region between these two points is divided into equal intervals called degrees. The Kelvin scale designates 0 K as the temperature at which the volume of an ideal gas would be zero. It is called the absolute zero because it is the lowest temperature that is theoretically attainable. Absolute zero corresponds to -273°C on the Celsius scale.
The Kelvin scale uses degree intervals that are the same size as the intervals on the Celsius scale. The difference between the scales lies in how the zero point is chosen. On the Celsius scale, the zero point is the freezing point of water. On the Kelvin scale, it is the point at which the volume of an ideal gas would theoretically be zero.
The scales are related by the formulas: K = °C + 273 or °C = K - 273.