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its always an achievement to get colder than previously but why isnt there another unit to measure the approach to absolute zero?

its always an achievement to get colder than previously but why isnt there another unit to measure the approach to absolute zero?

(post is archived)

[–] • 2 pts

Development of the Kelvin Absolute Temperature Scale •William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) was interested in Charles’s Law which states that when a gas is cooled by one degree Celsius, it’s volume drops by 1/273 –This would lead to zero volume at -273°C –How can matter exist without taking up space? •Thomson instead suggested that it was the energy of motion that decreased with temperature – At -273°C, the molecules cease motion and essentially not take up space –He called -273°C absolute zero because no further temperature reduction is possible. This later became known as 0 Kelvin.

[–] [deleted] • 2 pts

From what I understand, absolute zero is unattainable, because that's the point that all motion stops. Any motion, no matter how small, generates heat.

[–] • 1 pt

there is also the concept of to observe a reaction you bust fundamentally interfere with said reaction. being unattainable doesnt mean it cannot be used look at how zero is used throughout society, techinically zero is unattainable but we still use it. there is a reason why zero wasnt a thing in most ancient societies

[–] • 0 pt

Any motion, no matter how small, generates heat.

This is an oversimplification. We perceive the motion of molecules as heat. So absolute zero would mean a bunch of molecules with no motion, which is exactly 0 momentum. This would violate the uncertainty principle.

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt

Exactly, which is why absolute zero is unattainable.

[–] • 0 pt

Theoretically unattainable, but most of our information at that level is theoretical, so who knows.

[–] [deleted] • 2 pts (edited )

It all depends on what you use as a reference for 0. In Celsius that's the point for water turning to ice which was the established 0 point from before there was a concept of absolute 0. That's -273.15 degrees Celsius away from absolute 0. When the concept of absolute 0 developed a new unit of measure was developed called kelvin.

[–] • 1 pt

even with kelvin it becomes an exponential function the closer to zero it is so to even use that near the end is meaningless i was more asking why an exponential unit hadnt been created for temperature

[–] • 1 pt (edited )

what is -logK

[–] • 1 pt

They decided what 0 degrees was before they knew what absolute zero was. Once absolute zero was found, they created Kelvin which does start at zero. We keep Celsius and Fahrenheit around for history and because it's easier to say it's going to be 80f/34c than 299 kelvin.

[–] • 0 pt

Why would there be another unit on to of the one we have?