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Degrees Celsius to Kelvin

0 degrees Celsius equals 273.15 kelvin, and each additional degree adds a fixed amount set by the two scales.

K = °C + 273.15

Temperature Conversion Calculator

Common Temperature Conversions

Temperature Scales Reference

Celsius

Water freezes at 0°C and boils at 100°C

  • Freezing: 0°C
  • Boiling: 100°C
  • Body temp: 37°C

Fahrenheit

Water freezes at 32°F and boils at 212°F

  • Freezing: 32°F
  • Boiling: 212°F
  • Body temp: 98.6°F

Kelvin

Absolute temperature scale starting at absolute zero

  • Absolute zero: 0K
  • Freezing: 273.15K
  • Boiling: 373.15K

Rankine

Absolute temperature scale using Fahrenheit degrees

  • Absolute zero: 0°R
  • Freezing: 491.67°R
  • Boiling: 671.67°R

Conversion Formulas

From Celsius

  • °F = (°C × 9/5) + 32
  • K = °C + 273.15
  • °R = (°C + 273.15) × 9/5

To Celsius

  • °C = (°F - 32) × 5/9
  • °C = K - 273.15
  • °C = (°R × 5/9) - 273.15

Degrees Celsius to Kelvin Conversion Table

°CK
-273.150
-100173.15
-40233.15
-20253.15
0273.15
10283.15
20293.15
25298.15
37310.15
50323.15
100373.15
200473.15
500773.15
10001273.15

About This Conversion

Kelvin is the SI base unit of temperature and is used wherever temperature enters a physical calculation: gas laws, thermodynamics, blackbody radiation, colour temperature of light sources. Because a kelvin and a degree Celsius are the same size, the conversion is a pure offset of 273.15 with no scaling at all.

One convention detail matters in scientific writing: kelvin takes no degree sign and no "degrees". You write 293 K, not 293 °K. A temperature difference of 5 °C is also a difference of exactly 5 K, which is why heat-transfer formulas can use either unit for a delta.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 0 °C in Kelvin?

0 °C is 273.15 K, the freezing point of water at standard pressure.

What is room temperature in Kelvin?

Room temperature of about 20 °C is roughly 293 K; the 25 °C used as standard lab conditions is 298.15 K.

Can Kelvin be negative?

No. 0 K is absolute zero, the lowest possible temperature, equal to −273.15 °C.

Why is there no degree symbol on Kelvin?

Kelvin is an absolute scale rather than a relative one, so by SI convention it is written as a plain unit: 300 K, not 300 °K.

Worth Knowing

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Gas mark 4 is 180 °C conventional, 160 °C fan, or 350 °F, the setting most general baking recipes assume.