ABSOLUTE ZERO

temperature at which a thermodynamic system has the lowest energy. It corresponds to -273.15 on the Celsius scale and to -459.67 on the Fahrenheit scale. The notion that there is an ultimately lowest temperature was suggested by the behaviour of gases at low pressures: it was noted that gases seem to contract indefinitely as the temperature is decreased. It appeared that an ideal gas at constant pressure would reach zero volume at what is now called the absolute zero of temperature. Any real gas actually condenses to a liquid or a solid at some temperature higher than absolute zero; therefore, the ideal gas law is only an approximation to real gas behaviour. As such, however, it is extremely useful. The concept of absolute zero as a limiting temperature has many thermodynamic consequences. For example, all molecular motion does not necessarily cease at absolute zero, but none is available for transfer to other systems, and it is therefore correct to say that the energy at absolute zero is minimal. Any temperature scale having absolute zero for its zero point is termed an absolute temperature scale. By international agreement, the Kelvin, or thermodynamic, scale is the standard for a scale of this type and is the basis for all scientific temperature measurements. Its fundamental unit, the kelvin (symbol K written without a degree sign ), is defined as 1/273.16 of the triple point of pure water-i.e., the temperature at which the liquid, solid, and gaseous forms of the substance can be maintained simultaneously. In effect, the interval between this triple point and absolute zero comprises 273.16 kelvins. Another absolute temperature scale used in the United States (primarily for engineering applications) is the Rankine scale. Although the zero point of the Rankine scale is also absolute zero, Rankine temperatures differ from Kelvin temperatures. This is because the basic unit of the scale, the degree Rankine ( R), is 5/9 of the kelvin (e.g., the freezing point of water is 273.15 K and 491.67 R). For coverage of empirical temperature scales, see Celsius temperature scale; Fahrenheit temperature scale.