20 degrees Celsius equals 293.15 kelvin.
To convert 20°C to kelvin, you add 273.15 to the Celsius temperature. This is because kelvin scale starts at absolute zero, which is -273.15°C, so the offset is needed to find the equivalent kelvin value.
Conversion Tool
Result in kelvin:
Conversion Formula
The formula to convert Celsius to kelvin is:
K = °C + 273.15
This formula works because the kelvin scale starts at absolute zero, which is -273.15°C. So, you add 273.15 to shift the Celsius temperature up to kelvin.
Example:
- Given: 20°C
- Step 1: Add 273.15 to 20
- Step 2: 20 + 273.15 = 293.15 K
Conversion Example
- Convert 0°C to kelvin:
- Start with 0°C
- Add 273.15: 0 + 273.15 = 273.15 K
- Result is 273.15 kelvin
- Convert -10°C to kelvin:
- Start with -10°C
- Add 273.15: -10 + 273.15 = 263.15 K
- Result is 263.15 kelvin
- Convert 37°C to kelvin:
- Start with 37°C
- Add 273.15: 37 + 273.15 = 310.15 K
- Result is 310.15 kelvin
- Convert 100°C to kelvin:
- Start with 100°C
- Add 273.15: 100 + 273.15 = 373.15 K
- Result is 373.15 kelvin
Conversion Chart
| Celsius (°C) | Kelvin (K) |
|---|---|
| -5.0 | 268.15 |
| 0.0 | 273.15 |
| 5.0 | 278.15 |
| 10.0 | 283.15 |
| 15.0 | 288.15 |
| 20.0 | 293.15 |
| 25.0 | 298.15 |
| 30.0 | 303.15 |
| 35.0 | 308.15 |
| 40.0 | 313.15 |
| 45.0 | 318.15 |
You can read this chart by finding the Celsius temperature on the left and looking right to see the corresponding kelvin temperature. It helps compare values quickly without calculation.
Related Conversion Questions
- What is 20 degrees Celsius in kelvin units?
- How do I convert 20°C to kelvin manually?
- Is 20 Celsius equal to 293 kelvin?
- What kelvin temperature corresponds 20°C?
- Why add 273.15 when converting 20 Celsius to kelvin?
- Does 20°C equal 293 kelvin exactly or rounded?
- How much is 20 Celsius in kelvin scale?
Conversion Definitions
Celsius (°C): Celsius is a temperature scale based on 0°C as the freezing point of water and 100°C as the boiling point at standard atmospheric pressure. It is commonly used in daily weather reports and scientific measurements worldwide for indicating temperature.
Kelvin (K): Kelvin is the SI base unit of temperature, starting at absolute zero (0 K), which is the lowest possible temperature. It measures thermal energy directly and is widely used in physics and chemistry to describe temperatures without negative values.
Conversion FAQs
Why is 273.15 added when converting from Celsius to kelvin?
273.15 is added because the kelvin scale starts at absolute zero, which is -273.15°C. By adding 273.15, the Celsius temperature is shifted to align with kelvin’s zero point, making kelvin always positive and directly proportional to thermal energy.
Can kelvin values be negative when converting from Celsius?
No, kelvin scale starts at absolute zero and cannot be negative. If you convert Celsius temperatures below -273.15°C, the result would be negative, which is physically impossible, so Celsius values below -273.15°C do not correspond to real kelvin temperatures.
Is the kelvin scale used outside scientific contexts?
Kelvin is mostly used in science, engineering, and research fields because it measures absolute temperature. It’s rarely used in everyday life where Celsius or Fahrenheit are preferred, except when precise temperature measurements are needed, like in physics experiments.
How precise is the conversion between Celsius and kelvin?
The conversion is exact when using 273.15 as the offset. However, rounding may occur depending on decimal places used. Celsius and kelvin scales have a one-to-one degree size, so the only difference is the zero point, making conversions straightforward and precise.
What temperature is equivalent to 20 kelvin in Celsius?
To convert 20 kelvin to Celsius, subtract 273.15 from 20. This gives -253.15°C, which is extremely cold and well below freezing point of water, showing the large difference between the two scales at low temperatures.