QUIRINO STATE UNIVERSITY

DIFFUN CAMPUS
Diffun, 3401 Quirino

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION Phys 102: Thermodynamics

Bachelor of Secondary Education

NAME: ____________________________________________ YEAR & MAJOR: ______________________

CURRENT ADDRESS: _____________________________________________________________________

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MODULE 1
 Heat, Temperature and Internal energy

LESSON 2:
Temperature and Thermometric Scales

Lesson Outcomes:
1. Explained the relationship of heat and temperature
2. Converted one thermometric scale to another

Temperature is the degree of hotness or coldness of an object. This idea of temperature is not new to
us. From our sensory experiences, we can tell whether an object is hot or cold or that an object is hotter
than another. A mother feels the forehead of her child to check if he has fever or not. A nurse dips her
elbow, of the back of her hand in a baby’s bath to check if temperature is just right. An inexperienced father
sprinkles a few drops of the baby’s milk on the underside of his wrist to test its temperature. A cook checks
if the frying pan or the cooking oil in the frying pan is already hot by sprinkling drops of water into it. If the
drops sizzle, then the temperature is high enough for frying. How about you? How do you measure
temperature?

Measuring Temperature

One of the most familiar but least accurate ways of measuring temperature is by touching. When you
touch a cup of chocolate or a glass of fruit juice, you sense how hot or cold it is. We associate this sensation
of hot or cold with the temperature of the object. You may think that objects that feel hot have higher
temperatures and objects that feel cold have lower temperatures.
You often confuse your perceptions of hot and cold with the temperature of an object. You may think
objects that feel hot have high temperatures and objects that feel cold have low temperatures. Do the
following activity and make a report on your e-laboratory journal.

Do this

Prepare three basins.

1. Fill the first basin with hot water. (The temperature should be tolerable to touch and must not
exceed 50oC)
2. Fill the second basin with cold water and add ice until about one-third of the mixture is ice. (Stir the
mixture such that all the parts of the water have the same temperature).
3. Fill the third basin with an equal mixture of hot and cold water.

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COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Bachelor of Secondary Education
Self-Paced Learning Module

4. Soak your left hand in the cold water and your right hand in the cold water for about 15 seconds.
5. Then, plunge both of your hands into the third basin of water and find out whether the water is hot
or cold.

Kinetic molecular theory of matter tells us that the molecules making up a body are always moving and
hence possess kinetic energy. On the molecular level, temperature is a measure if the average
translational kinetic energy of the molecules in the body. Thus, we can say that a body is hot if its molecules
are moving fast, and cold if the molecules are moving slowly.

With a higher temperature

and thus higher particle velocity,
the kinetic energy of the particles
also increases. Therefore, the
following statement applies:

The higher the temperature

of a substance, the greater
the kinetic energy of the
particles

Now, how is heat related to temperature? Temperature dictates the direction of heat. Energy flows from
a body of higher temperature to a body of lower temperature.
For ordinary purposes, an approximate determination of temperature is sufficient. However, for
scientific purposes, a thermometer must be used. A thermometer is a device that has been calibrated to
measure temperature. It makes use of a physical property that changes with temperature.

Temperature Scales
The three common scales for measuring temperature are the Fahrenheit, Celsius and Kelvin scales.
In the Fahrenheit scale, the number 32 is assigned to the temperature at which water freezes and the
number 212 is assigned to the temperature at which water boils. The interval between these two
temperatures is divided into 180 equal intervals called degrees Fahrenheit (oF).
In the Celsius scale, the number 0 is assigned to the temperature at which water freezes and the
number 100 is assigned to the temperature at which water boils. The interval between these two
temperatures is divided into 100 equal intervals called degrees Celsius (oC).
In the Kelvin scale, the intervals are the same size as those on the Celsius scale, and are called kelvins
(K). Any temperature on the Kelvin scale can be changed into Celsius by adding 273 to it. So the freezing
point of water on the Kelvin scale is 273 K and the boiling point is 373 K.
Experiments have lead scientists to conclude that there is a lower limit to temperatures. The lowest
possible temperature on the Kelvin Scale is zero Kelvin. This is equivalent to – 273 oC. This is called the
absolute zero where no more energy can be removed from the matter. Phys 102: Thermodynamics

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COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Bachelor of Secondary Education
Self-Paced Learning Module

Comparing the Fahrenheit, Celsius and Kelvin Scales

ToC = 9/5 (ToF – 32) eq. 1

ToF = 5/9 ToC + 32 eq. 2
K = ToC + 237.15 eq. 3

Sample Problem
Your mom decides to bake cookies for your little brother’s birthday party. The recipe indicates that
the oven must be pre-heated at 315oF. What is its equivalent temperature in degrees Celsius?

Given: ToF = 315 oF

Unknown: ToC =?
Equation: ToC = 9/5 (ToF – 32)
Solution: ToC = 9/5 [(315 oF) – 32]
= 9/5 (283)
≈ 157oC

Phys 102: Thermodynamics

3
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Bachelor of Secondary Education
Self-Paced Learning Module

Self -Check

1. How is the motion of the particles within a substance related to the thermal energy of the substance?
As temperature rises, the energy of movement of the particles increases.  As temperature
falls, the energy of movement of the particles decreases.
The greater the motion of particles, the higher a substance's temperature and thermal energy.

2. The highest atmospheric temperature ever recorded on earth was 57.8oC. What is the equivalent
temperature in oF and K?
3. Why are there no negative temperatures on the Kelvin Scale?

Problem of the Week 1

Answer the following problems. Show your solution.

1. Convert the following temperatures to oC.

a. 92.0 oF
b. 320 K
2. Convert the following temperatures to oF.
a. 42.3 oC
b. 287 K
3. Convert the following temperatures to K.
a. 32.5 oC
b. 285 oF
4. At what temperature is oC and oF equal?

Answers to Self-Check Questions

1. As the thermal energy increases, the motion of the particles increases.

2. The temperature 57.8oC can be expressed as 136oF and 331 K.
3. There are no negative temperatures on the Kelvin scale because zero on the Kelvin scale
is absolute zero, the point at which particles have no thermal energy.

Phys 102: Thermodynamics