Celsius or Kelvin
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Celsius or Kelvin
If asked to calculate the changes in entropy and we are given temperature in terms of Celsius, do we always have to convert the temperature to be in terms of Kelvin? I know both can technically be considered correct, but is there a preferred method?
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Re: Celsius or Kelvin
You should convert to Kelvin as it is no longer ΔT in the equation, but T (The general formula for change in entropy being ΔS = qrev/T).
Re: Celsius or Kelvin
When in doubt, it is always best to convert the temperature to Kelvin by adding 273.15.
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Re: Celsius or Kelvin
For problems with ΔT, you can use either Celsius or Kelvin because the difference between the temperatures will be the same. However, for problems with just T, you should generally use Kelvin because that is the SI unit.
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Re: Celsius or Kelvin
For problems with ln, temperature has to be in K because the conversion factor is additive (+273) and won't cancel out. In comparison, the units don't really matter for problems with ln or ln because the conversion factors are multiplied (like x1000mL) and cancel out.
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