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Temperature

Just how hot is 4.22 kelvin?

Deep cold

4.22 K

Scale
4.22 kelvin

Celsius and Fahrenheit have shifted zero points.

4.22 KTemperature
0 K · absolute zero
Boiling helium

Boiling helium is helium in its liquid state at its normal boiling point under standard atmospheric pressure.

4.22 KTemperature
0 K · absolute zero
Celsius and Fahrenheit zero points are offsets. Compare temperature differences, not ratios in °C or °F. The kelvin axis starts at absolute zero.

A little perspective

4.22 kelvin is the same as the temperature of boiling helium.

Measurements, assumptions & sources +

4.22 kelvin

Temperature: 4.22 K; definition.

Celsius and Fahrenheit have shifted zero points. Differences are useful; “twice as hot” in °C or °F is not a physical temperature ratio.

NIST — SI conversion factors

Boiling helium

Temperature: 4.22 K; approximate.

Approximate normal boiling point of helium at one atmosphere.

NIST Chemistry WebBook — Helium phase data

The marked temperature is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.

Measurement details

Why these numbers?

Compare 4.22 kelvin with the temperature of boiling helium. The notes below explain how each value was chosen.

4.22 kelvin

4.22 K

Temperature · definition

Celsius and Fahrenheit have shifted zero points. Differences are useful; “twice as hot” in °C or °F is not a physical temperature ratio.

Boiling helium

4.22 K

Temperature · approximate

Approximate normal boiling point of helium at one atmosphere.

Comparing
Temperature ↔ Temperature
Relative size
We compare temperatures using a difference in kelvins, not a ratio.

How to read the visual

The diagram uses the recorded measurements. Details outside the marked spans do not set the scale.

  • The temperature of boiling helium: This is an estimate; check the notes for its rounding and uncertainty.

Compare temperature differences in kelvins; Celsius and Fahrenheit ratios are not meaningful.

-268.93 °Cdegrees Celsius
-452.07 °Fdegrees Fahrenheit

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