Temperature Converter
Convert temperatures between Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin instantly.
Temperature Converter
Convert between Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin
Conversion Formulas
Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin Explained
Temperature scales exist because different scientific and cultural communities standardized around different reference points. Celsius uses 0° for water's freezing point and 100° for boiling at sea level — the everyday standard in most of the world. Fahrenheit sets freezing at 32° and boiling at 212°, still widely used in the United States for weather and cooking. Kelvin starts at absolute zero (−273.15 °C) and uses the same step size as Celsius, making it the standard for physics and chemistry.
Converting between scales is common in science, cooking, weather apps, and hardware specifications. This free converter handles all three scales simultaneously so you never need to look up formulas again.
Temperature Conversion Formulas
Celsius → Fahrenheit
°F = (°C × 9/5) + 32Fahrenheit → Celsius
°C = (°F − 32) × 5/9Celsius → Kelvin
K = °C + 273.15Kelvin → Celsius
°C = K − 273.15Frequently Asked Questions
What is absolute zero?
Absolute zero (0 K / −273.15 °C / −459.67 °F) is the theoretical lowest possible temperature, where particles have minimum thermal motion. It is physically unreachable but approached in laboratory settings.
At what temperature do Celsius and Fahrenheit meet?
They intersect at −40°. At −40 °C and −40 °F, both scales read the same value.
Why does the US still use Fahrenheit?
Fahrenheit was the dominant scale in English-speaking countries before the global adoption of the metric system. The US retained it largely due to cultural inertia and the cost of switching standardized infrastructure.
Is Kelvin used in everyday life?
Kelvin appears in scientific contexts — thermodynamics, color temperature of light sources (e.g., 5500 K for daylight LEDs), and astrophysics. For everyday use, Celsius or Fahrenheit are more practical.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Temperature Converter