Converters & UnitsExact factors

Temperature Converter

Temperature is the one conversion where multiplying by a factor is not enough — the scales start in different places, so an offset has to be applied before and after scaling.

Temperature to Convert

Values below absolute zero are flagged rather than silently converted.

CONVERTED VALUE

All units

The same quantity expressed every other way.

Absolute zero: 0 K = −273.15 °C = −459.67 °F = 0 °R. Celsius and Fahrenheit meet at −40.
Share & embed

Why temperature conversion is not just multiplication

Converting metres to feet is a single multiplication because both scales start at the same zero. Temperature scales do not. Celsius puts zero at the freezing point of water; Fahrenheit puts zero roughly at the freezing point of a brine mixture; Kelvin puts zero at absolute zero. Converting therefore requires shifting the origin as well as changing the step size, which is why the familiar formula has both a multiplier and a constant.

The one temperature where both scales agree

Celsius and Fahrenheit cross at −40. It is the only point where the two scales give the same number, and it is a useful sanity check — if a conversion tool does not return −40 °F for −40 °C, something is wrong with its offset handling.

Degrees versus kelvins

Kelvin is written without the degree symbol: 300 K, not 300 °K. That is because Kelvin is an absolute scale where zero means zero thermal energy, so a kelvin is a unit of temperature rather than a point on a relative scale. The same applies to a temperature difference: a rise of one kelvin equals a rise of one degree Celsius exactly, which is why scientific papers often report differences in kelvins even when the absolute values are in Celsius.

Absolute zero as a floor

Nothing can be colder than −273.15 °C, or −459.67 °F, or 0 K. This converter flags values below that floor instead of quietly converting them, because a negative kelvin result is always a data-entry mistake rather than a physical measurement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the formula for Celsius to Fahrenheit?
Multiply by 9/5 and add 32. So 25 °C becomes 25 × 1.8 + 32 = 77 °F. Going the other way, subtract 32 first and then multiply by 5/9.
At what temperature do Celsius and Fahrenheit read the same?
At −40. It is the only crossing point of the two scales and it makes a good sanity check for any conversion tool.
Why is Kelvin written without a degree symbol?
Kelvin is an absolute scale whose zero is absolute zero, so a kelvin is a unit rather than a point on a relative scale. Write 300 K, not 300 °K.
What is absolute zero in each scale?
Absolute zero is 0 K, −273.15 °C, −459.67 °F and 0 °R. No physical temperature can be lower, so values below it are flagged here as input errors.