An organic chemist measures the temperature [tex]$T$[/tex] of a solution in a reaction flask. Here is the result:
[tex]$T=32.394^{\circ} C$[/tex]
Convert [tex]$T$[/tex] to SI units. Round your answer to 6 significant figures.
Answer (2)
Convert Celsius to Kelvin using the formula: T ( K ) = T ( ∘ C ) + 273.15 .
Calculate: T ( K ) = 32.394 + 273.15 = 305.544 .
Round the result to 6 significant figures, which is already satisfied.
The temperature in Kelvin is 305.544 K.
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given the temperature in Celsius, T = 32.39 4 ∘ C , and we need to convert it to Kelvin (K), which is the SI unit for temperature. The conversion formula is: T ( K ) = T ( ∘ C ) + 273.15 We also need to round the final answer to 6 significant figures.
Applying the Conversion Formula Now, let's apply the conversion formula: T ( K ) = 32.394 + 273.15 = 305.544 The result is 305.544 K.
Rounding to 6 Significant Figures We need to round the result to 6 significant figures. Since the result 305.544 already has 6 significant figures, no further rounding is needed.
Final Answer Therefore, the temperature in Kelvin, rounded to 6 significant figures, is 305.544 K.
Examples
Converting temperature from Celsius to Kelvin is essential in many scientific and engineering applications. For example, in thermodynamics, many calculations require the temperature to be in Kelvin because it is an absolute scale. Imagine you are designing a chemical reactor where the reaction rate is highly temperature-dependent. Using the correct temperature scale ensures accurate predictions of reaction rates and product yields. Also, weather forecasts often use Celsius for daily temperatures, but climate models use Kelvin for calculations to avoid negative temperature values, which simplifies the math and ensures consistency.
To convert the temperature of 32.394 °C to Kelvin, we use the formula T(K) = T(°C) + 273.15. Applying this, we find T(K) = 305.544 K, which has six significant figures. Thus, the final answer is 305.544 K.
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