Temperature

Temperature is a quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness, and reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making up a substance. The name is derived from the Greek word thermos (θερμός)‚ meaning "warm".

Temperature can be measured with a thermometer and is commonly expressed in degrees celcius (°C). In science, the kelvin scale (K) is preferred. The kelvin scale is also referred to as absolute temperature.

History

The Prussian physicist Rudolf Julius Emmanuel Clausius (1822 – 1888) is the founder of the modern kinetic gas theory and the theory of heat (thermodynamics).

Related concepts

• atom
• celsius
• energy (thermal)
• heat
• kelvin