Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. It can be the result of energy due to vibrational, rotational or transitional forces. Additionally, atoms and molecules are in constant motion. Temperature is a measurement of the speed with which atoms and molecules move. More specifically, temperature is a measurement of the average kinetic energy of atoms and molecules in a substance. If the temperature is measured in Kelvin degrees, then its value is directly proportional to the average kinetic energy of the molecules of a substance. The faster the atoms move within the substance, the higher the temperature and the kinetic energy from temperature.
Things You'll Need
Thermometer
Calculator
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Instructions
1
As the temperature increases, molecules of the solution move faster.
Measure the temperature of the substance you are studying using a Fahrenheit scale. Record the temperature.
2
The formula for converting temperature based on Fahrenheit scale to Celsius is C = (F - 32) x 5/9.
Convert the temperature to the Celsius scale: subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit reading; multiply the number by 5 and divide the product by 9.
3
Low temperatures result in slower-moving atoms and low kinetic energy from temperature.
Convert the temperature reading based on the Celsius scale to the Kelvin scale by adding 273 to the Celsius temperature (K = C + 273). The resultant Kelvin temperature provides a unit of measurement that describes the value of the average kinetic energy of a substance. Temperature, when measured in Kelvin units, is also directly proportional to the average kinetic energy of the substance, in that, if you double or triple the Kelvin temperature of a substance, you double or triple the average kinetic energy of the molecules in a substance.
