CalcKit
Temperature Interval Converter
A temperature interval is a difference between two temperatures, such as a rise of 10 degrees, as opposed to a temperature reading. This matters for conversion: a difference converts without the scales' offsets. A rise of 10 °C is a rise of 18 °F, but a reading of 10 °C is 50 °F.
The rules are simple: a difference of 1 K is the same as 1 °C, and a difference of 1 °C is 1.8 °F or 1.8 °R.
How to convert temperature differences
Type a value into any field, and every other unit is calculated at once. For example, water heated from 15 °C to 60 °C rises by 45 °C:
-
In kelvin: the same number.
45 °C = 45 K -
In °F: multiply by 1.8, with no +32.
45 * 1.8 = 81 °F
Temperature readings are converted in the Temperature Converter, which does add the offsets.
Common conversions
| Difference | Equals |
|---|---|
| 1 °C | 1.8 °F |
| 1 °F | 0.5556 °C |
| 1 K | 1 °C |
| 10 °C | 18 °F |
| 10 °F | 5.556 °C |
| 1 °C | 0.8 °r |
Temperature Units
The five temperature units the converter supports:
-
Kelvin (K): The Kelvin is the base unit of temperature in the International System of Units (SI). It is based on the absolute zero point, where all molecular motion comes to a stop.
Conversion Factor: 1 K = 1 K (Base Unit) -
Celsius (°C): Celsius is a widely used temperature scale. The zero point is defined as the freezing point of water, and 100 degrees Celsius is the boiling point of water at standard atmospheric pressure.
Conversion Factor: 1 K = 1 °C -
Fahrenheit (°F): The Fahrenheit scale is commonly used in the United States. It is a temperature scale according to which water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees.
Conversion Factor: 1 K = 1.8 °F -
Rankine (°R): The Rankine scale is an absolute temperature scale, like Kelvin. However, it uses the Fahrenheit degree as its unit interval.
Conversion Factor: 1 K = 1.8 °R -
Réaumur (°r): The Réaumur scale is based on the freezing and boiling points of water, similar to Celsius, but with a different scale. The freezing point is 0 °r, and the boiling point is 80 °r. Conversion Factor: 1 K ≈ 0.8 °r
Frequently asked questions
Why is a 10 °C rise not 50 °F?
Because 50 °F is the reading at 10 °C, measured from the Fahrenheit zero, 32 °F below freezing. A rise has no zero point to shift: each degree Celsius is 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, so 10 °C more is 18 °F more.