Kelvin to Degrees Celsius
0 kelvin equals -273.15 degrees Celsius, and each additional degree adds a fixed amount set by the two scales.
°C = K − 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
Kelvin to Degrees Celsius Conversion Table
| K | °C |
|---|---|
| 0 | -273.15 |
| 100 | -173.15 |
| 200 | -73.15 |
| 250 | -23.15 |
| 273.15 | 0 |
| 280 | 6.85 |
| 290 | 16.85 |
| 293.15 | 20 |
| 298.15 | 25 |
| 300 | 26.85 |
| 310 | 36.85 |
| 373.15 | 100 |
| 500 | 226.85 |
| 1000 | 726.85 |
About This Conversion
Converting kelvin back to Celsius is most often needed to sanity-check a physics or engineering result against everyday intuition: 300 K sounds abstract, 26.85 °C does not. Subtract 273.15 and the number becomes something you can feel.
The conversion also turns up when reading light-bulb specifications, though there it is a trap. A "2700 K warm white" bulb is not 2,426 °C; colour temperature describes the spectrum a blackbody would emit at that temperature, not the temperature of the bulb itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 300 K in Celsius?
300 K equals 26.85 °C, a warm room temperature.
What is absolute zero in Celsius?
0 K is −273.15 °C, the point at which a system holds the minimum possible thermal energy.
Does a 2700 K light bulb get that hot?
No. Colour temperature describes the colour of the emitted light by reference to a blackbody, not the physical temperature of the lamp.
How large is one kelvin compared to one degree Celsius?
They are exactly the same size. Only the zero point differs, which is why the conversion is a simple offset.
Worth Knowing
Oven Temperature Chart
Gas mark 4 is 180 °C conventional, 160 °C fan, or 350 °F, the setting most general baking recipes assume.
Related Conversions
Converting the other way? Degrees Celsius to Kelvin
Need a different unit? Open the full temperature converter