High School

What unit of temperature is used in gas law calculations?

A. Celsius
B. Fahrenheit
C. Kelvin
D. either Celsius or Fahrenheit
E. either Celsius or Kelvin

Answer :

Final answer:

The Kelvin (K) is the temperature unit used in gas law calculations, being the SI unit and an absolute temperature scale, requiring conversion from Celsius with the formula K = °C + 273.15.

Explanation:

The unit of temperature used in gas law calculations is Kelvin (K). Kelvin is the SI unit of temperature and unlike Celsius and Fahrenheit, it is an absolute temperature scale where 0 K is the lowest temperature that can theoretically be achieved. When dealing with gas laws such as Charles's law or the Ideal Gas Law, temperatures must be converted to Kelvin. This can be done by using the conversion formula: K = °C + 273.15. Unlike Celsius or Fahrenheit, the Kelvin scale does not use a degree symbol, as it is an absolute scale of temperature measurement grounded in physical constants.