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Definition: temperature from Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary

The thermal state of a body considered with reference to its ability to communicate heat to other bodies (J. C. Maxwell). There is a distinction between temperature and heat, as is evidenced by Helmholtz's definition of heat as “energy that is transferred from one body to another by a thermal process,” whereby a thermal process is meant radiation, conduction, and/or convection. Temperature is measured by such instruments as thermometers, pyrometers, thermocouples, etc., and by scales such as centigrade (Celsius), Fahrenheit, Rankine, Reaumur, and absolute (Kelvin).

See absolute temperature; thermodynamics.

temperature

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
measure of the relative warmth or coolness of an object. Temperature is measured by means of a thermometer or other instrument having a scale calibrated in units called degrees. The size of a degree depends on the particular temperature scale being used. A temperature scale is determined by choosing two reference temperatures and dividing the temperature difference between these two points into a certain number of degrees. The two reference temperatures used for most common scales are the melting point of ice and the boiling point of water. On the Celsius temperature scale , or centigrade scale, the melting point is taken as 0 degrees Celsius and the boiling point as 100 degrees Celsius, and the difference between them is divided into 100 degrees. On the Fahrenheit temperature scale , the melting point is taken as 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the boiling point as 212 degrees Fahrenheit, with the difference between them equal to 180 degrees. The Réaumur scale, used in some parts of Europe, …
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Full text Article temperature

From Astronomy Encyclopedia
Tethys Ithaca Chasma can be seen to the right in...
Property of an object that determines whether heat energy will flow into it or out of it when it is in contact with another object. The direction of flow of heat energy is from the object at the higher temperature to that at the lower. If there is no energy flow then the two objects are in THERMAL…
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From Philip's Encyclopedia
In physics, measure of the hotness or coldness of an object. Strictly, it describes the number of energy states available to a substance or system. Two objects in thermal contact initially exchange heat energy but eventually arrive at thermal equilibrium . At equilibrium, the most probable…
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Full text Article Temperature

From Encyclopedia of Wildfires and Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fires
Temperature, Fig. 1 Heat transfer modes in a...
Definition Temperature has been defined (via the zeroth law) as the observable which is the same for two systems in thermal equilibrium. Using a microscopic point of view, it has also been seen to represent the energy per degree of freedom. From the macroscopic point of view, the temperature is…
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Full text Article temperature

From The Chambers Dictionary
degree of hotness of a body, etc or medium (eg air, water) ascertainable by means of a thermometer; a body temperature above normal, fever; condition determining interchange of heat between bodies; the degree of warmth or friendliness in an interchange or relationship; the degree of enthusiasm, …
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Full text Article temperature

From Collins Dictionary of Astronomy
Symbol: T . A property of a body or region that determines the direction of heat flow under thermal contact – always from a higher-temperature to a lower-temperature body or region. Numerical values of temperature are assigned by means of an internationally accepted scale of temperature, and for…
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Full text Article temperature

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
measure of the relative warmth or coolness of an object. Temperature is measured by means of a thermometer or other instrument having a scale calibrated in units called degrees. The size of a degree depends on the particular temperature scale being used. A temperature scale is determined by choosing…
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Full text Article temperature

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Measure of how hot an object is. It is temperature difference that determines whether heat transfer will take place between two objects and in which direction it will flow, that is from warmer object to cooler object. The temperature of an object is a measure of the average kinetic energy possessed…
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Full text Article temperature

From The Penguin Dictionary of Physics
Symbol: T . The property of an object that determines the direction of heat flow when the object is brought into thermal contact with other objects: heat flows from regions of higher to those of lower temperatures. ( See THERMODYNAMICS (second law)). This definition merely allows one to place in…
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Full text Article temperature

From The American Heritage Student Science Dictionary
temperature
A measure of the average kinetic energy of the atoms or molecules of an object. The higher the temperature of an object, the higher the average kinetic energy of its molecules. Temperature is usually measured on one of three standard scales: Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Kelvin. See Note at Celsius . An…
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From Science Encyclopedia: Encyclopedia of Chemistry
A measure of the energy in a substance. The more heat energy in the substance, the higher is the temperature. There are a number of temperature scales that have evolved over time, but three are used presently: Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin. The Fahrenheit temperature scale is a scale based on 32…
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